Black Lake
by pinchfield
Summary: S.P.R investigate a house that is being haunted by a spirit with a terrible obsession. The lake is where it all started, and it turns out there is more than one spirit to deal with. Can they solve the mystery before they sink too deep into danger? Naru/Mai. Rating - K - T. Chapters - 9 ongoing...
1. Chapter 1 Prologue

Black Lack - **Prologue**

_Shibuya Psychic Research Centre._

The first thing that Taniyama Mai noticed on entering the SPR office was the outstanding lack of noise. She stepped through the front door and let it click shut quietly behind her before she peered around.

Where was Lin? She couldn't hear him typing. _I'm not late today_, she thought looking at her watch.

She ventured forward and stopped suddenly. A thought came to her. _Ehhh, maybe this is a dream!_

In a panic for a second, she put her hands to her cheeks and glanced around for the Naru who appeared in her dreams, only there was no such 'Naru' to be seen.

Besides, there are no floating spirits, she told herself, finalizing the absurdity of it. She quickly calmed down and frowned. Speaking of the so called narcissist…

She rapped lightly on his office door. "Naru?"

When no answer came, she pushed Naru's office door open a crack and poked her head through the gap. She strained her eyes in the poor light of the room.

"Eh?"

The blinds were half shut. Why was that? She panned her eyes across and a dark lump on the desk. She entered the room and frowned, a hand to her heart.

"Naru?" she whispered. _What is he doing? _She walked right up to Kazuya Shibuya's desk and looked down at him. He was slumped forward on the desk, his cheek resting on some papers. She bent and stared at his face.

So close, she thought and listened to him breathing softly. Her cheeks enflamed and she straightened and backed away. _What on earth am I doing? _She stood undecided in the middle of the room.

His expression is softer when he's sleeping, she thought. _Masako would love this chance. _Shame she isn't here, Mai thought derisively. She cackled evilly inside, and then sobered suddenly on thinking about it. She slapped herself. _This is my chance!_

Now, there were two agonizing questions she needed to ask herself. Should she wake him or let him sleep. She would, in no doubt, be blamed in some way or other for each of these actions; therefore she would lose terribly in the spar of words that followed.

Eventually, she walked up to his desk again and made to shake his shoulder, only to get the fright of her life when the body of her boss stirred and came to life. She gazed at his eyes that opened and looked at her sleepily with none of their usual flintiness. She was transfixed staring into those lovely, grey eyes.

She froze whilst Naru slowly rose up off the desk, his eyes becoming sharper and sharper as he did.

"Mai?"

His voice broke the horrible silence and Mai waited on tenterhooks.

"Mai, what are you doing?"

She laughed awkwardly. "What d-do you mean Naru? I'm…"

"Stop stop stuttering and stop loitering," he said coldly.

"Hey! I wasn't the one that was sleeping just now! What do you mean 'what am I doing.' I was about to wake you!"

Naru gave her a vague look. Mai couldn't believe the blatant cheek of this guy. She ranted in her head for a moment.

"Mai."

She looked at him sharply. "What?"

"It's good to see that you aren't late," he said without looking at her. Mai's animosity dried up quickly. A bubble of happiness worked its way up in her soul.

"That is," he continued, "not late by the half an hour you usually are."

The bubble popped.

"Now that's a bit exaggerated!" she fumed. _You unbearable narcissist!_

"Mai," Naru said calmly, a lip curved slightly upward at her distress no doubt. Mai felt her annoyance coming off her in waves. She hoped Naru could feel it!

"Prepare me some tea."

Mai drooped. "Hai, hai," she muttered and left his office. She noticed Lin was sat at his station on his computer and stopped in surprise.

"Lin, Good Morning."

He glanced at her and nodded, then went back to his typing. I am being ignored, she thought. She resisted the urge ask of his whereabouts when she'd first got in and went to fix Naru's tea.

~Ghost**xx**Hunt~

After grumpily setting Naru's tea before him, Mai set about tidying up papers and filing away files. she trawled through newspapers and read the mail which featured business documents, bills, the odd letter pleading SPR for help (Naru ignored those and Mai was the one to fish them out of the paper bin). In this post, there was the rare occurrence of a fan letter.

After a while, she sat on the sofa in the reception area and sipped her own cup of tea, feeling a little despondent. She hoped that a client would set foot in the SPR office soon. The quiet was getting to be bit _too _quiet.

Her mind drifted from thoughts of Bou-san, to John and the rest and then to thoughts of Naru. _What was he doing sleeping in his office anyway? _She felt concerned for a moment. _I hope he's alright. Maybe I should buy him cold medicine when I got out next for his consignment of tea, just in case._

After mulling it over for a bit, she decided that it must be just plain overworking on his part. I suppose even Naru can be caught unawares doing things that aren't expected.

_He looked a lot more endearing when he was sleeping, just like seeing the Naru in my dreams smile. _Mai grinned.

"Hello?"

Mai jumped and stood quickly. She had been so immersed in her thoughts that she had failed to notice a client standing at the door.

"Oh hello!" she said quickly greeting him with a smile. "Please come in."

The man in question seemed to be in his late twenties. His jaw was strong and he had a serious gaze. He smiled back at her but in a strained sort of way.

"I would like to speak with Shibuya Kazuya."

Mai smiled softly. "Please have a seat. Shibuya-san appreciates consultations after he has had his assistant run it over with him."

~Ghost**xx**Hunt~

After setting a tray with two cups on the table and serving the guest his tea, Mai sat down with them and listened to what was being said.

Hamasaki Ryouta sat opposite Naru looking slightly worn and stiff.

"Recently our family has come into the inheritance of a house," he said looking at Naru seriously. "At first living there was fine…" he paused as if wondering how to put it to them. "As we started to settle in, strange things started to occur that was not auspicious. It was my wife that first saw 'it'."

Mai leaned forward.

"What do you mean by 'it'?" Naru said with a hint of impatience in his voice.

"My wife saw the ghost of an old lady."

Mai glanced at Naru. He didn't look impressed.

"I am sorry Hamasaki-san," he said, "you are going to have to say something more to merit the investigation."

Hamasaki-san looked put out for a moment and looked to the carpet. A few seconds later, he lifted his head up again.

"One night, a mirror my wife was using smashed before her eyes and for no reason. She was injured." Ryouta stopped and grew quiet. He rubbed his forehead before continuing.

"I am concerned. I implore your help. Even yesterday our daughter was…," he frowned down at his clasped hands, "she was almost pulled into the lake by our home by ghostly arms. My wife is extremely upset."

"Is this spirit, the old lady, seen often?" said Naru.

"No, we have only seen it once."

"Have there been any other incidents?"

"My wife and I had a scare when the house seemed to suffer from a small quake last week and that was the last straw."

Hamasaki-san implored gently, "Please, we will be forced to move out and possibly sell the house if this continues."

Naru's eyes narrowed. He's contemplating the case, Mai thought. You better take it on Naru.

"Is your daughter alright?" she said quickly hoping to persuade Naru for the sake of the girl.

Hamasaki-san nodded. "Yes. Well, only as fine as any other girl her age would be. She is five years old."

Mai turned to Naru and was about to demand that they take on the case when Naru flicked his gaze at her, as if he knew she was about to burst out with a righteous speech.

"Consider you request answered, Hamasaki-san," he said.

She beamed and stood. "SPR will gladly help you!"

x


	2. Chapter 2

_The Hamasaki Residence._

The van came to a smooth halt and the occupants got out stiffly. Mai stretched and yawned. The drive to the Hamasaki's home had been very long and boring.

Ayako and Bou-san's bickering had kept her entertained part of the way and she had fallen asleep a few times, but mostly she had stared outside watching the road markings flash by. It must have been the fault of beginning to count them like sheep that had made her drop off to sleep.

"So this is Hamasaki's house?" said Bou-san inspecting the house from the grounds. Mai turned her attention to the house.

It was large and white, part traditional and part western. It didn't look the least bit haunted from the outside with its pleasant backdrop. The lake beside it was stunning and shimmered in the morning sunshine.

"Well I must say, they live in a nice place," said Ayako.

Mai nodded. "That must be the lake their little girl was pulled into," she said.

They walked up the drive and across the lawn to the front door. The door opened before Naru could knock and Hamasaki Ryouta stood at the threshold.

"Good morning," he said.

"Good morning," Mai answered cheerily and other greetings followed. Ryouta led them into the large hall. A lady with a wan face and amber eyes stood waiting in the middle with a little girl hiding behind her legs.

Naru gestured to Mai and introduced them one by one. Ryouta nodded civilly although he looked anxious and tense.

"This is my wife, Suzu and daughter, Masami," he said.

Hamasaki Suzu bowed and coaxed her daughter to stand in front of her. "Say hello Masami," she said in a soft voice. Masami looked at them with big eyes.

"Hello Masami-chan," said Mai spreading a smile across her face. The girl hesitantly smiled back.

Ayako approached too and smiled. "Hello."

The little girl hid behind Suzu's legs again. Bou-san chuckled.

"You scared her Matsuzaki-san," he said then, "I guess you have scary face with the wrinkles and all."

A vein burst at Ayako's temple. "What did you just say!" she growled.

It looked as though Ayako was going to punch (and strangle) the ex-monk when Suzu interrupted.

"Masami had quite a scare by the lake. She has been quiet ever since the incident."

Mai watched one of Suzu's pale hands move to her cheek where Mai noticed for the first time a few healing cuts.

"I wasn't expecting the glass to smash in front of my face." Her finger lingered on a plaster by her hairline. She stared off to Mai's right with a harried look.

"We thought it could be earth movement from below the house making the mirrors smash but why didn't the windows break as well?" She shook her head. "We sent for an expert and he found no land movement."

"Are there many mirrors in this house?" said Naru.

Suzu nodded. "There are quite a few really. I was surprised to find so many."

Naru's eyes deepened in thought.

"We will have to put some equipment around the house," he said.

"Of course. Will you all be staying the night?"

"It depends entirely on what we find. If there no sign of supernatural activity, S.P.R will have nothing to do with this house," Naru finished coldly.

He couldn't have put it more pleasantly, Mai thought sarcastically.

"Mai, Lin. Get the equipment from the van."

~Ghost**xx**Hunt~

Mai marked down another temperature reading and entered another room. She had done the whole of the downstairs and was now dutifully going through every room of the upstairs. So far she had counted eight bedrooms and that meant there was plenty of room for S.P.R.

Naru had chosen a base at the east of the house in an unused room. It overlooked the lake. The monitors were set up and the room was filled with the soft humming of electricity.

Mai looked around with curiosity. The hallways she went through were quite dim with having a meagre amount of windows. Mai shivered and rubbed her arms. There was something stark about this place that she didn't like.

There was a flash of movement next to her and Mai jumped with a gasp and whipped her head around. A person stared back at her. A second later, she realized it was just herself reflected in an oval mirror. Oh, it's just me, she thought in relief and embarrassment.

She continued on and came to a closed doorway at the end of the hall. She reached out and pulled on the handle. It swung open. She stepped into the dim room and froze.

Her eyes widened as a whoosh of feelings bombarded her and pressed cold against her heart. Unhappiness, anger and oppression hovered over her like a big black cloud. Mai doubled over a little and blinked. As quick as that, the feeling vanished. She stared at the wood floor, and caught her breath.

_What was that!_

She straightened and peered around. The room was a study. A heavy wooden desk stood opposite the door with a floor-to-ceiling shelving unit behind it. There was a window to the right covered partly by green curtains.

She brushed her fingers along the desks top. It came away with a layer of dust. It looks as though nobody's been in here in a long time. It smelt like the study needed airing as well.

She looked at her temperature was quite low.

As she was about to leave, she spotted a picture frame on the floor near the shelves. She crossed over to it and picked it up. It held the image of an elderly man with eyes that would rival Naru's impassive stare. They were very dark and looked almost black. His hair was grey with strict lines around his mouth. He looked utterly imposing.

Mai gulped and put the picture on a shelf. She beat a hasty retreat and wondered who the elderly man was.

~Ghost**xx**Hunt~

"More to the left," said Naru through her headset. Mai adjusted the camera.

"Is that okay?"

"Yes."

Mai twirled about the room. "Yay, that's the last thing done. I could do with a break."

"Mai. Tea."

Mai pouted. That's not fair. She took off the headset and chucked it onto the bed. Just as she'd finished one job, Naru wanted her to do another. However, she brightened up suddenly. _There's only one last thing to do, then I can have a break. No point feeling down! _With that, she skipped off to make the tea.

~Ghost**xx**Hunt~

Mai ended up bringing refreshments for everybody. Suzu helped her and accompanied Mai to the base. She set Naru's tea down before him.

"Wow, this equipment looks impressive," Suzu said looking at the monitors. "I don't know what I expected but it wasn't all these monitors." She smiled in a tired sort of way.

"Are you alright, Hamasaki-san?" said Mai.

"Oh yes, I'm just feeling a little stressed with the move and everything being like this."

Ayako nodded in sympathy. "Well, you just leave it to us to exorcise the ghost. We'll have it solved in no time, won't we Naru."

Naru stared blankly at her and didn't even draw breath to reply. "Why you unenthusiastic lump," Ayako muttered, crossed her legs and fumed.

"We have yet to see any evidence of any ghost," he said. Ayako snorted.

"Don't worry Hamasaki-san," said John with a smile.

"Thank you," she said, "now I must go and check on Masami."

"May I come with you?" Mai said.

Suzu nodded.

They walked through the hallway in silence for a moment.

"You seem like a nice girl. Are you still in school?"

"Hai. This is just a part time job," Mai said happily. Suzu smiled.

They stopped at an open doorway which Mai guessed to be Masami's bedroom. The little girl was sitting on the floor surrounded by soft toys.

"Hi sweetheart." Suzu knelt on the floor. Masami looked at Mai with a solemn look.

"Hello, Masami-chan." Mai gave the girl her most endearing smile. "What are you doing?"

Masami lifted the stuffed cat to her face bashfully. "Playing with Pito-chan," she said softly.

How cute, thought Mai. She joined Suzu on the floor. Masami became absorbed with what she was doing again.

"Hamasaki-san, can I ask you about what happened to Masami-chan," said Mai cautiously.

Suzu's lively demeanour dampened.

"She was playing outside by the lake. I left her to take a phone call," she began quietly. "Then I suddenly heard her shrieking." Suzu put a hand to her chest. "It was so frightening and when I got to her, she was halfway into the lake. "

She swallowed and continued, "There were arms, white arms, coming from the water. I pulled Masami out. But it was horrid! They searched for her; they waved about trying to snatch her again. But they wouldn't take my baby from me even if they tried." She finished fiercely, blinking her wet eyes and rubbing Masami's shoulder.

"How terrible," said Mai, cringing at the images her mind conjured up. If Suzu hadn't heard her¾Mai shuddered at the thought.

Suddenly, she had a comb thrust in front of her face. She blinked at it. "What's this," she said.

Masami brushed Mai's fringe, her chubby fist holding the comb tightly. "Okaa-san said it's a mermaid's comb," Masami said and proceeded to brush her own fringe with it.

"A Mermaid's?"

Suzu laughed and leaned in conspiratorially. "It is because of a story we told her when we moved here. A mermaid was trapped in the lake and she used to swim idly around causing trouble to the people. Until one day, a fisherman gave her a comb and showed her how to use it. She occupied all her time combing and combing her hair and looking at her reflection in the water thus ceasing to cause trouble. The comb is just something I found in one of the rooms."

There was a knock on Masami's door. Mai turned to see Masako standing in the doorway.

"Shibuya-san requires Mai, please excuse us Hamasaki-san," she said politely. Suzu and Mai stood up. Masami leapt over to Masako and stood staring up into her face. Masako did the same only staring downward.

Masami was not dissimilar to Masako. She locked eyes with Masako as if she was her equal. Are they going to stare at each other all day, thought Mai.

"Kokeshi," Masami chimed with a big smile up at Masako, whose eyes widened.

Mai smothered a laugh. Kokeshi are a Japanese doll made out of wood which have thin bodies and enlarged heads.

Masako hid her mouth behind her sleeve. "Ara," she said in surprise.

Suzu chuckled. "Masami, Hara-san looks nothing like a Kokeshi."

"She does."

Mai followed Masako down the hall still silently laughing.

"Isn't Masami sweet?" she said giving Masako a sidelong glance.

"Children have good imaginations," Masako answered back stoically paying no heed to Mai's subtle teasing.

~Ghost**xx**Hunt~

"No problem, it's a land spirit," said Ayako blasé.

"Yeah, yeah," said Bou-san waving a hand in the air. "Haven't we heard that before."

Ayako scowled. "You should take me seriously," she said folding her arms. "What do you say it is?"

Bou-san leaned back with his hands in his pockets. "Hmm. It could be a poltergeist with it smashing mirrors like that."

"What pulled Masami into the lake wasn't a poltergeist," said Mai. All of them stood in the base coming to no conclusion of what was happening.

"And what has the old lady to do with anything?"

"The old lady?" said Ayako. Bou-san and John looked slightly puzzled.

"Hamasaki-san said they saw an old lady," said Mai.

"Oh."

The puzzlement cleared. "Maybe that spirit is doing all this."

"Hara-san, did you feel anything as we came to the house?"

Masako shook her head. "Nothing."

Naru sighed. "It looks like there's no substance to this case," he said.

"We're not going to leave are we? Masami was nearly drowned!" Mai cried.

"Mai." Naru's firm voice silenced her. "Be quiet. I know what happened. But if there are no further developments, we will be taking our leave. Is that clear?"

Mai gave him a black glare and nodded reluctantly. Nothing happened as the minutes went by. Not a flicker on the monitors or twitch of needle movement. Mai delivered more tea, went to check the rooms and sat absentmindedly or unconsciously tidied.

"Arg, something happen already," muttered Ayako. Mai peaked at Naru. He was looking more and more sceptical as the minutes wore on.

"If it was a poltergeist, I think something would have happened by now. Not repulsion but the opposite. It could be hiding," suggested Bou-san. He stretched.

"Sorry John-san. This must be wasting your time."

He ignored Ayako's mutter of 'It's wasting my time too'.

"No, no," said John waving his hands. "It's no problem. I might be needed later. You never know what could happen."

~Ghost**xx**Hunt~

Indeed, they had no idea what was going to happen in the next half an hour…

Mai was sent to the kitchen with orders. She sighed. _I feel like a waitress and how am I supposed to carry a fully laden tray up to the base?_ She envisioned herself tripping on the steps, smashing cups, spilling tea, making chaos and Naru looking at her displeased; the delay of his refreshment noted and the clumsiness of his assistant proven. She shook her head. She would definitely not let that happen! She clenched a fist and stepped down the stairs with determination.

The kitchen was deserted and not long later, Mai walked carefully up the stairs without tripping and thankfully, not falling on her face in a puddle of tea and soggy snacks.

Mai made her way along the hallway. She glanced to her right and jumped lightly making the cups on the tray clink. She knew before she looked that she had done it again - gone and jumped at her own reflection in a mirror.

She smiled and adjusted the tray in her grasp. _I'm being way too jumpy. _She pulled a face at herself in the glass. There was a woman behind her a grin that twisting her lips and overly bright eyes, round and staring.

Mai jolted backwards with a gasp and her shoulder met the wall with a thud but there was nobody behind her. Her shoulder nudged the mirror frame.

Her eyes darting around and she caught her breath. The hallway was empty. She clutched the tray her knuckles bone white. Liquid pooled on the tray bottom but Mai was far from noticing.

Crack! As if a gunshot had gone off behind her, Mai sprang away from the mirror with a cry and stared at the jagged break in the glass that went from corner to corner, across her ashen faced reflection.

The glass suddenly shattered and flew from its frame. The tray crashed to the floor as Mai screamed and flung her arms up to cover her face before falling against the wall. The cups hit the floor. Then there was quiet.

All Mai could hear was her shaky breathing and her heart that thudded dully against her chest. One eye stared through the gap in her arms shielding her head at the foreign object sticking out of her upper arm.

She shifted focus slowly. Beyond lay the tray overturned. Broken cups lay with the scattered shards of glass on the floorboards. There was liquid on her arm, she could feel it trickling down. Tea trickled down her leg. Good job I didn't wear trousers today, she thought and focused back on her arm, disturbed. Nothing is supposed to come out of your skin like that, she thought absently.

She got up and braced herself on the wall. She was trembling all over and she could feel in places the sting of wounds coming through the shock she was feeling. A sharp pain started to stab where the glass was embedded in her arm. She didn't want to look at it.

"Mai!"

She looked up and Bou-san was there his face full of concern. Ayako and John came up behind him. Mai moved protectively to shield her arm from any knocks. It was beginning to throb. Mai's face tightened in pain. She was surrounded then, battered by questions. Someone helped her upright.

"Are you alright? What happened?"

"Oh my, you're bleeding!"

"Ouch that looks painful. Come on, lets get you fixed up," said Bou-san.

She found herself being led away gently. Mai cast a look at the frame that had no mirror glass anymore. The snapshot her mind had taken of the woman was stamped in her minds eye. She shuddered. Who was she?

X


	3. Chapter 3

I'm glad you liked the second chapter! Thank you very much for all the reviews and happy reading!

* * *

Mai was sat in a chair and quickly examined by Ayako. She tutted and fussed around her and found a small cut on Mai's shin besides the wound on her arm.

"Bou-san, run and get the first aid kit from the van."

Mai glanced around. Naru was standing by the monitors watching the proceedings in silence. Masako stood with her kimono sleeve over her mouth. She looked slightly disgusted at the state of Mai's arm.

John looked worried as did Bou-san who had arrived back out of breath. He put down the first aid kit. Ayako narrowed her eyes at the glass and gave Mai a reassuring look whilst patting her on the shoulder.

"Brace yourself," she said and took the piece of glass gently between her fingertips. Mai squeezed her eyes shut. The glass slid out of Mai's skin. Blood welled out of the wound and Ayako quickly pressed down on it.

Mai hissed through her teeth.

"Here, somebody hold this."

Mai stared away at the floor tears prickling her eyes. Another hand took the place of Ayako's. She looked up to see Naru crouched beside her, his hand pressing the pad against her arm and his face just above hers.

"Chin up Mai?"

Naru's voice was quiet. The hard edge to it usually present was gone. Mai nodded feeling a bit dumbfounded. Could she see concern in those eyes?

"You might need sutures, stitches to you Takigawa-san," said Ayako whooshing down next to them and replaced Naru abruptly. Bou-san's puzzlement dissolved and instead he looked slightly miffed.

"The wound's not too deep," she muttered. "It's a clean cut."

She wrapped Mai's arm then stood up. "I'm going to ask Hamasaki-san where the nearest hospital is."

"I'll be alright," piped up Mai. Ayako swung round with a no-nonsense face.

"I'm taking you," she said pointing a finger at her and turned on to Naru. "And Shibuya-san better not disagree! She can explain what happened after."

"It's an inconvenience," Naru said blandly.

"Che." Bou-san crossed his arms.

"But," Naru continued, "take her."

"Wait I…" said Mai. Naru gazed at her and for a second she could see amusement in his eyes, a slight curl in his lips. "Don't worry idiot. You are not needed at the moment, you won't be missed."

Who's he calling idiot! 'Is that supposed to be comfort?' thought Mai indignant. The twit.

"Right, off we go," said Ayako.

"Wait a minute, I'll come with you."

Bou-san jumped to follow her but Ayako stopped him with a hand.

"No Takigawa-san."

"What? But Mai needs me…" he whined. Ayako muttered and from what Mai heard it sounded like 'she does not, you big oaf.'

"It's ok Bou-san. In case anything else happens, you need to stay here," said Mai.

Bou-san looked a bit rejected. "Be alright ok," he said wrapping an arm around her neck affectionately.

"Alright, now we're going." Ayako bundled Mai towards the door. "We won't be long."

Ayako can be so determined, thought Mai and was led out of the Base.

They met Suzu in the hallway looking panicked with the tray held in one hand. When she saw Mai, her eyes widened. "What's happened? I saw the mess down the corridor…" she broke off noticing the state of Mai's arm.

"Oh my, you are hurt!" she gasped and hovered around Mai's arm worriedly.

Mai hurried to reassure Suzu. "I'm ok really," she said though the wound did smart like a paper cut.

"Is there a hospital near by?" said Ayako.

"Near here? Well we are a bit out of the way, so let me think. Yes, there's one about twenty minutes away."

"Right," said Ayako and forced the directions from Suzu quickly and off they went.

In the van, Mai couldn't help thinking of Naru as he stood next to her looking at her with soft, concerned eyes.

~Ghost**xx**Hunt~

Back in the house, Naru started issuing orders.

"Takigawa-san. Brown-san. I want you to take down all the mirrors you can find," said Naru, "and bring one to the Base."

They left the room leaving silence between the remaining threesome and only the hum of machinery.

"I will go and help Hamasaki-san," said Masako and left to help Suzu pick up the mess in the corridor.

~Ghost**xx**Hunt~

Bou-san sighed and whistled impressed as he surveyed the amount of mirrors they had stacked against the wall.

"Sheesh, the previous owners must have been vain," he muttered. "Mind you, Ayako must have this many mirrors in her home." He snickered at his private joke.

"I've counted twenty," said John.

Bou-san coughed and picked up a small round mirror. "Do you think Naru-bou minds which mirror we take him? "

"I wouldn't say so," said John dusting off his hands.

"Hmm, on second thought we'd better pick one," Bou-san selected a bigger, more elaborate mirror, "pick one that fits in his large narcissist self as Mai would say. Yup, this will do!"

He breathed on the glass and polished it with his sleeve. "Hey, you don't look to bad yourself Houshou," he said and marched back to base with John trailing after.

~Ghost**xx**Hunt~

That night after recalling what had transpired in the hallway with the lady in the mirror, Mai drifted off to sleep easily as she was fatigued, but the night was not a quiet one filled with pleasant dreams.

She dreamt, but at first wasn't aware that she was…

She sat up and yawned. 'Who put the light on?' she thought hazily and looked through half closed eyes at her surroundings. They popped wide open when she saw that she wasn't in the same room as she'd gone to sleep in.

Yellow with sunlight, the room had its window thrown open letting a cool breeze flow through.

Mai got hesitantly off the futon. This is a dream, she realized.

"Naru?" she called quietly. He didn't appear. Even as she left the room and traversed along the corridors she found no one. She realized she was still in the Hamasaki's house only things seemed a little different.

She shivered and rubbed her arms. It was cold. A door appeared to her left. She stopped and watched curiously as it opened by itself. Looking through, it was as if she was watching the inside of the room from far off.

There were two people in the dark space. An elderly man sat behind a desk. All Mai could see of him were his interlocked fingers at his chin and the shadows of a face behind. A young woman stood in front of him, her back towards Mai. Her hair flowed in a black river down to the small of her back.

The sight was ordinary enough but something wasn't right. Mai put her hands to her chest. The black around the room was heavy and oppressing.

They were talking. Mai stepped closer and abruptly stopped when she saw Naru. He stood away from her, far off, with his finger to his lips. Mai listened carefully to what they were saying.

"You have come of age."

Mai quivered. The old mans voice was quiet, clear and cold. She could just see his thin lips moving slowly forming the words. The room seemed to dim further as he spoke.

"I have come to an arrangement with a certain colleague of mine."

The woman's stance went rigid. Mai herself waited anxiously for what he was about to say.

"I have come to a conclusion that I hope would be beneficial for all parties. Granddaughter, you are to be engaged to be married to Aikawa Kurata."

Mai watched the scene unsure of what to think. She had a growing urge to see the face of his granddaughter. She hadn't spoken a word in all this time and she stood as still as a statue.

"You are not pleased my dear. Michida-san is a respectable man. Do you understand?"

The silence was very thick. The old mans right thumb rubbed along his left slowly, regular as a ticking clock. Mai found herself staring at it.

"Do you understand me?" he said again. Mai looked at his granddaughter worriedly.

A pause then quietly a strong voice said, "Yes, grandfather."

"Good, you are dismissed."

The woman turned and Mai looked at her face and she gasped. The young woman was beautiful. Her eyes were lovely, tapered and brown and her face was oval and pale; though, despite the aesthetics, the eyes in the face were hard and displeased and they looked straight at Mai for a moment as she walked forward and Mai knew that she hadn't meant a single word.

~Ghost**xx**Hunt~

Mai opened her eyes and blinked the film of blear out of them and stared at the ceiling. The bedroom was bright. She frowned. What time was it?

Her watch said eight thirty which couldn't be right since Naru would look at her coldly all day and her brownie points would fall and Masako probably had made her move if this was right.

She leapt out of bed and snatched her clothes from the back of the chair. With a failed attempt at pulling on her shirt properly, she palmed her forehead_. Slow down and stop being ridiculous._ She had just put her shoes on when there was a soft knock on the door.

"Yes?"

Ayako poked her head through. "Ah, you're up," she said. "Do you want some breakfast? Everyone has eaten already but Suzu-san put some aside for you."

~Ghost**xx**Hunt~

"Why didn't you wake me up?" she asked Ayako after breakfast.

"I persuaded Naru that you needed rest."

"I'm not sick Ayako. It was only a cut." Mai rotated her arm experimentally. It was still sore and she forced away a wince.

Mai caught Ayako looking through the corner of her eye at her.

"Were you worried for some reason or other? Of Naru being alone with a certain Hara-san with no Mai to compete with?" Ayako said suggestively.

Mai harrumphed. "That's something Bou-san would say," she muttered.

"And for once I would agree with him. But don't worry nothing has happened except Takigawa-san decided to throw his food on the floor this morning. Men and their clumsiness."

They broke into laughter and wandered into the base.

"What are you lot laughing at?" said Bou-san inquisitively.

"Nothing, my dear ex-monk," Ayako blithely and settled into a chair.

Naru coughed and pointed at one of the monitors. Mai leaned forward to look.

"Since someone wasn't present this morning," there was an imperceptible pause and Naru looked at Mai pointedly. She looked back at him annoyed, "I have put a mirror in one of the bedrooms for observation. I don't want anyone going in that room unless they are with somebody else. Mai," Naru turned to her quickly, "make tea."

Mai rolled her eyes and reluctantly got up. They'd just come from the kitchen. _Couldn't he have asked for one then? _Mai grumbled under her breath as she _once again_ went down stairs. She came back and Naru was holding a file in his hand and Masako was reading something out loud.

"...the Hamasaki's inherited the house from Suzu-san's grandfather, who died recently."

"I asked the Hamasaki's this morning for any unusual background about the house. Did you find out anything Naru?"

Naru consulted his note book. "Nothing as such, but there is an odd tale about the lake outside. Apparently, a ningyo dwelled in the lake centuries ago and was unable to escape. I believe that it is just folklore and nothing else."

Mai tilted her head. "Suzu-san told me about that."

"Hmm, sounds a bit _fishy _to me," said Bou-san nudging Mai with his elbow. Mai smothered a chuckle.

Naru coughed. "For now we will continue observing the rooms. I will ask the Hamasaki's for further information on their family's history. "

"There is obviously something going on," said Ayako. She put a finger to her chin. "Hold on, what about the mirrors in the bathrooms?"

"They remain but we've covered them over."

Bou-san grinned. "The mirrors may still break if Ayako looks into it. Good plan, covering them up."

"If you don't shut up Takigawa, you'll find more than your breakfast on the floor in a second!"

~Ghost**xx**Hunt~

Mai fell asleep somewhere around 3 o'clock with her head resting on the table where the monitors sat. She had no dreams and slept fitfully for fifteen minutes before something startled her awake. Through a sleep muddled brain she heard Bou-san grumbling and John apologizing for something or other.

She slumped on her elbows and yawned. Something dark attracted her eye to one of the monitor screens. At first, she couldn't tell what it was. _An armchair maybe? _She couldn't recall seeing it in that bedroom before. Mai leaned closer to the screen blinking away sleep from her eyes.

Her eyes focussed and she gasped. In the corner of the room, stood a crooked, old figure shrouded in shadow. Mai cried out and stood abruptly shoving her chair back.

"Naru!"

The Thermograph gauge plummeted.

The mikes were switched through but no sound came from them.

She was standing at the left edge of the screen. Slowly, she looked at the camera and seemed to see right through to the base. Unease prickled Mai's back.

There was something about the face that disturbed Mai. Something about the eyes and the way the mouth was parted and smiling slightly. Mai blinked and the old woman was gone.

It was a moment before she could say anything. She looked up wide-eyed at Naru who was leaning over her staring at the screen. "Did you see her?"

"Yes. I saw."

"We all saw," said Bou-san. "So, finally the elusive old lady shows herself."

~Ghost**xx**Hunt~

Mai sighed. It was early in the evening and they hadn't seen the old woman again. Mai was looking forward to a long soak in the bath after getting Naru's begrudging permission that is. _Sheesh, I need permission to take a bath? What was her relationship with Naru coming to? _

She had let the tub fill and ran his last errand quickly. You can guess what that was. It began with T.

The bathroom was traditional with a separate round tub and an area for washing outside it. There was no shower. Steam coiled round the room and Mai was buffeted by the warm air as she stepped back in again free at last.

After turning the tap off, she slipped off her socks and blouse whilst humming happily to herself.

She did not see the water swell in the bathtub, and didn't look up until it was too late.

X


	4. Chapter 4

I hope I've not left you lot hanging for too long. *chuckles*

* * *

x

"I'm taking a bath."

Aaah, what a long day! _I don't care what Naru says, I'll be staying in here for a long time._

Socks and blouse were slipped off…

She did not see the water swell, and she didn't look up until it was too late…

x

Mai paused, her hands ready to take down her skirt. She felt a prickling sensation on the back of her neck. She shivered and frowned. The bathroom shouldn't be cold but the warm air was turning chilly.

All of a sudden, making Mai gasp, something icy slipped around her forearm.

She looked down and stared in horror at the pale, ghostly hand gripping her arm tightly. Mai followed its long, translucent arm with her eyes and saw that came from inside the bathwater.

Without warning, it yanked her forwards and against the side of the tub. Mai cried out and struggled with her footing. She tried frantically to get out of the spirits grip as it slowly pulled her over the rim.

"Get off me!" she gasped.

Her face was just moments from the water and she was bent double straining against its hold with gritted teeth.

"Let go!"

Her voice rose in panic. Her laboured breath caught on the rising steam, her bare feet gripped the floor and her arm, braced against the side of the bath, trembled with effort.

"Help!" She cried out as loud as she could. Her foot slipped and the spirit had no mercy. Mai shrieked and her arm buckled. "Stop!"

It pulled her over the edge of the bathtub. The hot water swallowed her. Mai struggled and thrashed back to the surface.

The arms wrapped around her neck and forced her under the surface again cutting her off mid-scream. Bubbles surged from her mouth.

She grappled with the arms, pulled at the sides of the tub but her fingers found nothing to grip and slipped on the ceramic. Her nose burnt as she inhaled hot water. She screamed in her head and bucked against the bottom of the bath. _Let me go!_

But as much as she tried, she couldn't get out of the arms hold. _Am I going to die? _Her limbs were tiring and her lungs were starting to ache terribly.

She floated for a while and her skin prickled as it warmed. Her hair drifted upwards. She watched her hands with detachment as they hovered in the air. Since when had she given up on getting free?

Dimly, she could hear noises that echoed and distorted with the water. A roaring noise raged through her ears and the dinks and thuds her limbs made against the bath were loud.

She stared up at the surface with a strange detachment, and hardly felt the constraint around her neck that squeezed her to the bottom of the tub. Darkness bled into her vision. _Help me…somebody._

She saw face that wavered above her.

_Ayako, Bou-san…._

She couldn't breath. Her chest was on fire…

_Naru…save me_.

Mai!

MAI!

~Ghost**xx**Hunt~

Ayako panicked. Her heart was thumping a hundred beats an second. She could see Mai under the water thrashing. She grabbed the young girl's forearms and tried to pull her out.

"Masako!" she screamed. "Get everybody here now!"

Ayako frantically flashed a sutra at the arms but nothing happened.

_Damn. _

Bou-san crashed into the bathroom.

"Quickly, start the exorcism, " shrieked Ayako. He saw Mai and he strode down next to the bath and started chanted with a grim, set look on his face.

"What's happening?" John peered inside the room and broke off. "Mai!"

"Shut up and start praying," commanded Ayako.

Masako stood inside the doorway and clutched her Kimono sleeve to her mouth. She looked about to faint.

Bou-san's voice filled the bathroom. "On sunba nisunba un bazara un hatta. Zyaku un ban koku."

John prayed softly, his brow slightly creased.

Ayako gripped the rim of the bath and stared down at the water.

The arms quivered and snapped out of their hold. They slewed around and sank beneath the tub. Gone. Mai was left hovering at the bottom, eyes closed, body unmoving. Only her hair stirred in the water, a dark colour.

"Mai!"

They all leapt forward. Bou-san plunged his arms into the water and scooped her up and out, the water slopping onto the floor.

Ayako threw down a towel and Bou-san laid Mai down on it. Her face was white except for her cheeks which were a ruddy red with the heat.

"Is she breathing?"

Ayako bent her head to her mouth. "She's not breathing."

Naru appeared at the door behind Masako.

"What's going on?" he said and stopped abruptly when he saw Mai on the floor. His eyes went wide.

"She's gone into respiratory arrest," said Ayako. She let Mai's wrist drop and quickly clambered to a better position.

A pale hand reached over the rim of the tub.

"Watch out!" cried Bou-san. The spirit grasped Ayako's hair and yanked her backwards. Ayako gave a startled scream and fell onto her backside.

"Somebody help Mai!" said Bou-san who started chanting.

"What do we do?" Masako's voice rose in panic, her normally composed face cracked. Ayako yelped in pain then yelled at Masako.

"She needs artificial respiration. Mouth to mouth. The Kiss of Life! Quickly!"

Masako fell to her knees flustered. John followed her. Naru, who had been standing stock still with a stony expression, suddenly moved. His face was set and his eyes sparked dangerously. He knelt beside Mai.

"Hara-san, get an extra towel."

He exchanged a look with Ayako for a moment. Putting a hand under Mai's chin, he tilted her head back, leant down, and pinched her nose. He covered her mouth with his and breathed into her and watched as her lungs rose then fell.

Ayako was finally released from the spirit's hold. She sat bedraggled on the floor.

"Are you alright?" said Bou-san. She nodded. Their attention turned to Naru and Mai.

"Come on kid. Take a breath," said Bou-san.

~Ghost**xx**Hunt~

She barely registered the warmth pressed to her lips and the burn inside her mouth. All she could feel was the urgent need to inhale. Before she knew it, her chest ached and she was choking then breathing.

Air had never been so sweat. She coughed out water, expelled it onto the bathroom floor. Somebody held her head gently to the side.

"Mai?"

She rolled her head over and the warm hand came to rest on her cheek. She blinked and found herself staring up at Naru who was leaning over her, his face above hers. His eyes held hers unblinking and Mai stared up at him feeling disorientated.

"Naru?"

She felt something slide up her chin to rest on her lips. His thumb.

"Shh, don't speak. Catch your breath."

Mai breathed in shakily and hesitantly leaned into his hand. _I ache all over. _Ayako appeared in her line of sight, her hair a complete mess for some reason. Her eyes were misty and her smile of relief wobbled.

"Mai, how many fingers am I holding up," said Bou-san with a teasing glint in his eye.

"Bou-san," Mai moaned, "I didn't get concussed." She coughed.

"Yeah, I know." He regarded her suddenly serious. "I'm never letting you go to the bathroom on your own ever again."

Ayako thwacked him.

"Ow."

"Are you alright Mai?"

Mai looked towards Masako who was standing back with a worried face beside John.

"Yes."

"Can you sit up?" Ayako helped her sit and draped a towel across her shoulders that Masako handed over. Naru's hand slipped from her face and Mai found herself missing its comfort.

Now she was sitting upright, his face was very close. Her hand was ravelled in something. She looked down. It was gripping the end of his black shirt. Her hand let go mechanically. She'd left creases she was holding it so tightly.

She rubbed the back of her neck and averted her eyes. She glanced at the bathtub uneasily.

"Has it gone?"

"For now," Bou-san muttered darkly. Mai's mind flooded with images and she shivered. To her surprise, Naru tweaked her chin and turned her face towards him away from the bath. He said nothing only brought his hand to her shoulder and rubbed the towel over her skin.

Mai blanched on realizing, and then reddened till she likened a tomato. She was currently sat in only her skirt and underwear.

With her blouse soaked and discarded on the floor, her chest and black bra were in plain view. Mai snatched the towel to cover her and ducked her head. _How embarrassing._

She glanced up at Naru and noticed his eyes were averted and his expression was even stonier. He brought his hand away from her shoulder quickly and looked away. 'Is that the hint of a blush on his face?' thought Mai and stared curiously at his face. _His eyes are wider than usual._

"Let's get you dried up," said Ayako and helped her stand. "Boys. Out!"

She was towel dried vigorously and moved to the bedroom. Mai sat on her bed whilst Ayako mumbled and gathered some dry clothes together. 'You weren't breathing Mai, but thankfully you hadn't gone into cardiac arrest.' That was what Ayako had told her when Mai had enquired what happened.

Mai had a quiet moment reliving the event in the bathroom. I might not have a bath again, she groaned. Mai stiffened on her bed and her eyes widened drastically. _Wait a minute!_

_Naru was bent over me. I wasn't breathing so…_

Mai clenched up and fell sideways onto her bed, her fists pressed to her chin.

Naru had given her the Kiss of Life. That means…Mai blushed scarlet and touched her lips. _Naru's lips were on mine. L-lips!_

"Mai are you feeling alright?"

Mai bounced upright.

"Yes!" She fairly shouted the word out.

"Ok." Ayako gave her a raised eyebrow. "Get dressed now."

She left the room, running her fingers through her messy hair.

Mai dressed in a daze. She stood at the door ready to go out. _Naru, why are you so aggravating? _She sighed and rolled her eyes upward. _Why?_

~Ghost**xx**Hunt~

Mai sidled into the base and even though she told herself not to do it before hand, she glanced at Naru. He wasn't looking at her, thank goodness. Mai blushed and walked carefully over to the group as if with 'walking carefully' Naru wouldn't notice her.

Sat herself down in a chair, looked up and found Naru's blue gaze on her. It left her frozen and she flushed to the roots of her hair. He looked away quickly.

"Now to discuss what happened. The spirit was a violent one and I advise nobody to take a shower or bath before this is sorted out."

He turned to Masako. "Hara-san did you sense anything in the bathroom?"

Masako shook her head with a frown. "No I didn't. Its presence was empty."

"That could mean that it isn't acting of its own will. We've come across that before," said Bou-san.

"They are the same arms that tried to drown Masami-chan in the lake," muttered Mai.

"We could be dealing with something that's a lot stronger than we first thought," said John.

"Exorcising it quickly would be our first priority," said Naru.

Bou-san pinched his chin in thought. "But first, we need to locate it. Hara-san, would you be of any help with that at all?"

Masako blinked. "I can't sense where the spirit is but I could try to summon it."

Naru nodded.

"It looks as though its regular haunt is by water," said Ayako.

"John, advise the Hamasaki's not to take a bath today," said Naru. "Mai, I take it you're able to help search?"

"Of course!"

"Good."

~Ghost**xx**Hunt~

The S.P.R team sat around the long table in the dining room with the Hamasaki's, eating a meal Suzu-san had prepared very generously. When told about the bath incident Suzu-san had been frightened and concerned. She had given Mai an extra large portion of food.

"You must be starving after that experience," she had said.

The meal passed with a solemn air without much conversation. Mai found herself drifting into daydreams.

"Mai?"

Mai's head jerked up. She stared at John opposite. "Hm?"

John was looking at her in a sort of concerned way mixed with amusement.

"Are you alright. It looked as though you'd fallen asleep."

Masako seated next to Mai piped up. "You were staring so gormlessly I thought that maybe your brain had unfortunately been misplaced in the bathroom," said Masako in a prim voice.

As the Hamasaki's and Naru had struck up a quiet conversation, they didn't hear her comment.

"What was that?" said Mai. "It wasn't you who had a brush with near death today." She glowered at Masako.

"That's it, I'll have you off to bed after dinner," pronounced Ayako. Mai gave her a withered look.

"So, the house belonged to a Michida Goro and it has been past down descendant to descendant," said Naru.

"Yes. Oh Masami, don't swirl your food around like that."

Mai's attention focused back on the conversation at the other end of the table. She smiled as Masami looked up with flecks of rice stuck to her cheeks.

"Do you know if anything tragic has occurred in your family line?" said Naru. Ryouta shifted in his seat and looked down at his meal for a moment. Suzu's chopsticks stilled.

"I believe there has. Besides from normal death by old age there has been one death that was out of the ordinary."

Suzu and Ryouta glanced at each other.

"Maybe would should have mentioned this." Suzu put her chopsticks on their rest, checked Masami was not paying attention and said in a quiet, voice.

"I'm not sure how many generations ago but a young woman was found dead. She had bled to death from an unusual wound that had been inflicted on her."

X


	5. Chapter 5

There was complete silence around the dinner table. Mai stared at Suzu in alarm. _An unusual wound? _Mai looked at Naru. His face was blank except for the slight downward turn of his eyebrows.

"You didn't inform me of this. Why?"

His voice was cold with a hint of annoyance in it. Suzu looked down at her plate and took a breath.

"She was a distant relative and the family doesn't like to mention the incident."

Ryouta stared sternly at Naru. "This is a private grief and…" he started to say but Suzu put a hand on his arm and stopped him.

"Darling, they need to know. If it helps in answering what is going on then we should tell them."

Ryouta frowned, stared at the table then glanced at Masami.

"Yes alright, but after the meal."

Masami was taken up to bed after the meal and then they settled in the living room to talk.

"Her name was Toshihiko Shinobu. My Great-great grandfather's brother's daughter. My maiden name is Toshihiko."

Mai took a second to work that out.

"A bit of a mouthful isn't it?" said Suzu with a smile towards her. "The way of her death was completely monstrous and the murderer was never found."

"You said an unusual wound was found in the victim," questioned Naru.

"Yes. Apparently somebody had taken a knife to the poor girl's body and taken away a sizable amount of flesh." Suzu looked disgusted at the notion.

"Was any sense made as to why she was killed in that way?"

Suzu shook her head. "No. But she was found in the shallow water of the lake."

Mai watched as Suzu's eyes misted over with tears. "I'm sorry," she said and whipped them from her eyes, "It is reminding me of Masami being almost drowned."

Mai gave Naru a hard glare as if to say 'that's enough and don't ask Suzu anymore difficult questions' but all he did was ignore her and look attentive and thoughtful.

"Naru…" warned Mai verbally.

He interrupted her. "Thank you for your cooperation. This may have just helped us exponentially."

~Ghost**xx**Hunt~

"How has it helped us? What have you figured out Naru?"

Mai hovered around him as they walked to their rooms. He ignored her and kept walking.

"Naru-u."

He stopped and Mai skipped to the front of him. "Well?"

"Are you wanting to accompany me into my room Mai?" he said.

Mai blushed as she realized she was standing in front of his room and effectively blocking his entrance.

The others were disappearing into their own rooms. Bou-san had the nerve to stick a playful thumb up at her before closing his door which made her redden further.

"N-naru!" Mai stuttered. She spotted a smirk at the corner of his mouth and she glowered at him. He stepped toe-to-toe with her and looked down. Mai leaned back and stared up at him wide-eyed.

"Could you let me through?"

Mai watched his hand come towards her. She gulped. It brushed past her side. _What is he doing!_

"Mai, please move."

Mai jumped and stepped backwards. His hand had clasped the door handle. Her face turned scarlet and she turned around quickly. She heard Naru open his door and step through. She stood in the corridor and stewed.

"Go to bed Mai?" he said flatly through the door. Mai whipped her head round, a comment on the tip of her tongue but Naru was blockaded by his door. She stomped to her room. Stupid, annoying, egotistical…

~Ghost**xx**Hunt~

…stubborn, narcissist."

Mai pulled her boots on roughly the next morning calling her boss names under her breath. He was being even more obnoxious and domineering than ever and it wasn't very pleasant.

_I don't care if he saved my life, he should at least say thank you once in a while._ She yawned very widely and blinked away the moisture that came to her eyes.

"Wow, that was one cavernous yawn," said Bou-san standing over her. "Didn't you get much sleep last night?"

"Something like that," she muttered.

She had been awoken at seven o'clock sharp by an imperious knock on her bedroom door and the terse voice of Naru saying, 'Mai get up.'

She had gotten up but it had felt like she was asleep on her feet. Until, that was, Naru made a remark about her walking around like a brainless Neanderthal which she was highly averse to. Of course, she ended up fuming at him.

Mai stood up and stretched. They were going to search for the spirit today and as Mai stepped through the door and out of the house she began to feel better.

The lake, called Kamo Mizu-Umi, sparkled and the water lapped calmly on the shore. Looking out at it, Mai wouldn't have thought that such a horrible thing had happened there. She slapped away the image of a corpse floating in the water.

"Come on Mai-chan," called Ayako waving to her. Mai smiled back. After all, it was still a nice day in a beautiful place. Why not be happy. She felt cheerier as she jogged to catch up and last night faded to the back of her mind. She didn't want to think about it anymore.

For Mai had dreamed a dream in the night that had disturbed her greatly….

…It was all black and cosy and Mai cracked open her eyes in a half-sleep. 'Is that somebody talking?' she thought. Her ears opened to the sound and she decided that she could definitely hear somebody talking. She opened her eyes fully and her bed had vanished. She was standing upright in a world of darkness.

The voice continued talking muffled and distant. She looked around but could see nobody. She stepped forwards and headed deeper into the darkness.

Her heart picked up as the dark stretched out in front of her and she clasped her hands together nervously. _I hope it isn't one of 'those' dreams. _Then, in the distance, she could see something grey and smudged. A room?

She glanced around. The voice, which had gotten clearer, was definitely coming from in there. _Do I recognize this place? _Yes, Mai thought. It looks familiar.

Two people were standing in the room. A woman and an elderly man. _This is very familiar! _Mai caught the edges of a foggy memory. These are the same people I dreamt about the other day, she thought.

The tension in the air was thick as they talked quietly. Mai looked on feeling a little confused and apprehensive. The atmosphere was getting to her.

The grandfather was very rigid and his eyes were dark and angry. His granddaughter looked relaxed, very different from the last time Mai had seen her.

Mai stepped forward hoping to here what they were saying better.

The old man's eyes widened and Mai saw raw, startled fright flash through them. Then Mai noticed what had caught their attention and a bolt of alarm went through her.

In the woman's hand was a knife! The blade shone as it caught the light coming from the partially open curtains. The granddaughter held it loosely by her side.

Mai looked from one to the other quickly, her heartbeat suddenly thumping and the icy feeling of terror crept further up her spine.

"Stop!" she cried but her voice was silent.

"What are you doing!" the old man said hoarsely. "Have you forgotten what I have done for you? I took you under my wing after your parents sadly past away."

"It's only natural for a grandfather isn't it. To take the offspring of his son into his care." The woman's voice was detached, casual and ever so slightly bitter.

She lifted the knife and touched the tip of it. A droplet of blood welled on her fingertip.

"Oh look," she said and took her fingertip between her lips and sucked off the red blood. "Silly me. This blade is very sharp."

She took a step forward and seemed to be very glad when the old man lost some of his stiff composure. He looked as though he was having a heart attack.

"Stop this at once!" he said coldly but his voice gasped out of breath at the end. His hands shook. The woman's lips parted into a small smile.

In a swift movement, the woman stabbed the knife into the shelves. Mai jumped, the scream lodged in her throat and she forgot to breath.

The old man seemed to be having trouble breathing too Mai observed, unable to take her eyes away. The fright seemed too much for him. He gasped and his eyes seemed to pop out of his head.

Mai covered her mouth with her hands. The woman leaned in closer.

"Tell my mother I adored the stories she used to tell me." She jerked the blade out of the wood. The old man gave a gasp.

"You…" he wheezed, his body froze and his fingers hung like claws onto his clothing above his heart. His mouth moved with words but he had no breath to make them. He made a horrible gravely sound in his throat.

He slipped down and slumped in a sitting position on the floor. His eyes glazed over and his mouth remained open in deaths last gasp.

There was silence in the study. Mai looked at the man in shock. _He's dead._

"How convenient."

The woman's voice was cold and beautifully articulate. She gave a disappointed look to the blade.

"Grandfather always had to do things his own way. The tyrant."

With that last comment, the room had faded away and left Mai to wake up feeling distressed.

~Ghost**xx**Hunt~

Mai dipped the end of her shoe in the gently lapping water.

"I wouldn't get too close if I were you," Bou-san said from behind her. Mai stepped away and continued walking warily along the shore. Up ahead, she could see Naru's tall and black figure as he stared out across the lake.

She rubbed her arms. The air was becoming chillier. Clouds were coming in. Ayako made her way towards them with the sleeves of her thin sweater pulled over her hands.

"Where's the sun gone off too?" she grumbled. Bou-san threw an arm casually around her shoulders.

"There you go, Matsuzaki-san," he said jovially. "You to Jou-chan."

Bou-san covered Mai's shoulders with an arm as well.

"Oi, Takigawa," warned Ayako.

"Brr, it is getting a bit nippy," said Bou-san ignoring the Miko under his arm. "Do you think it'll rain?"

"Get off me Monk," said Ayako grumpily.

Mai broke away with a smile and walked up to Naru.

"How are we going to exorcise this spirit?" she said staring out at the water, rocking on her feet beside him. "Where's Lin-san and John-san?"

Naru sighed and Mai had a feeling that she had interrupted his thoughts.

"Lin-san is researching the Hamasaki's family history…"

Mai blinked. She had only just realized that Lin had not come outside with them. I was too busy fuming, Mai thought guilty.

"Brown-san is getting the boat."

_Boat?_

"Boat?" she said out loud.

"Yes, a boat Mai. A mode of trans…"

"I know what a boat is," Mai said with a growl, a vein throbbing in her forehead. She calmed down.

"Are we going out across the lake? Isn't that a bit dangerous."

He didn't answer her and Mai looked out for John, feeling troubled.

~Ghost**xx**Hunt~

"I'm not going in that Naru-bou."

Bou-san pointed at the rowing boat suspiciously.

"It's perfectly safe," said John smiling from where he sat holding the oars. Ayako hopped into it and put her hands to her hips.

"You don't get boat-sick do you Takigawa-san?"

Mai stepped up to the grounded boat and put one foot in it.

"We won't fit all of us onboard. Takigawa-san and Matsuzaki-san can stay behind," said Naru briskly.

"Eh!" said Ayako. She frowned at Naru. "How come John gets to do the exorcism," she muttered as she got off the boat.

"Don't worry, I'll keep you company," said Bou-san.

"Be quiet, Takigawa."

Mai sat down in the boat next to Masako who had been courteously helped up by Naru much to Mai's dismay after she herself had stumbled on board.

John set off rowing slowly. Since John had a small stature, Mai was surprised that he was rowing so well.

She waved to the two left behind as they went further out until Naru snapped at her to pay attention.

The boat rocked gently and the only sound was of the water splashing with the oars and the wind. They hadn't gone far from the shore, when Mai started to feel uneasy.

She sat hunched on the bench and stared down at the water. She watched her reflection darken the surface as she leant over the side.

The boat rocked suddenly and shifted the seat under her. She grabbed the side of boat with a small gasp of surprise.

She heard John exclaim loudly and whipped her head around. He was sitting looking wide-eyed and holding only one oar of two. The other was floating away on the lake.

"Something caught at it," he said. "I tried to pull it out but it stuck."

They all looked at the oar as it bobbed in the choppy water. John reached to pull the oar out but Naru reached over and stopped him.

"Mai, balance the boat," he said before leaning over carefully. Mai scrambled to the opposite side and anxiously watched.

Naru stretched, grabbed the end of the oar and quickly brought it back to the boat. They stared at the surface for a moment, the sound of lapping water loud to Mai's ears.

Then Masako gasped. She bent over, her sleeves pressed against her mouth.

"What's wrong?" Mai moved over to her then stilled as wave of icy air came over her and made her shiver.

"Naru?" she cried in alarm. Then, quite abruptly, the frigid air around them dissipated and Masako lifted up her head.

"Help me."

A quiet voice emitted from her mouth, clear and unwavering. A voice that wasn't Masako's

Mai recoiled in surprise. _She's been possessed! _She glanced at Naru, expecting him to say something.

When he didn't, she leaned forward warily.

"Who are you?"

Masako looked at her with blank eyes. "I am..." she paused as if trying to remember, "I am Toshihiko Shinobu."

Naru carefully knelt beside Mai and stared grimly at Masako.

"Who killed you Toshihiko-san?"

Masako shook, her lips quavered and her eyes went wide in fright. "Are you going to help me?"

"Yes, if we can. Can you say who killed you?"

"She did."

"Who?"

The fear displayed on Masako's face changed to one of anger. "That terrible monster of a cousin!"

_Cousin?_

"Monster, monster, monster," Masako chanted.

"Why did you try to drown Mai?" said Naru being rather blunt with his questioning.

Masako stilled and stared at him. Quite suddenly her expression changed to something evilly calculating. Mai thought it was quite disturbing seeing it on Masako's face.

Suddenly Masako lunged forward, her hands outstretched and her fingers clawed. Mai screamed and scrambled backwards. The boat rocked dangerously and she hit her head on the seat behind her.

John was already praying, his face severe in concentration. Naru grabbed Mai's forearm tightly and pulled her onto the seat.

Masako shrieked and advanced. Naru grabbed onto her shoulders, Mai shouted her name, John prayed.

Masako came forward so forcefully, she pushed Naru and herself over the edge of the boat and they fell into the water.

"Naru!" Mai leaned over but all she could see was her own shattered reflection in the ripples.

"Naru!"

x


	6. Chapter 6

**Xxx**

"Naru!"

Mai leant further over the side of the boat, her heart drumming.

John pulled her away from the edge, and she struggled against his hands, trying to catch any glimpse of Naru and Masako below the water.

"Let go!"

"Mai, calm down!"

"But I can't see them!" She looked, more frantic than before, into the dark water. Suddenly, she couldn't wait any longer and started to undo her boot laces with trembling fingers.

"What are you doing?" said John. She didn't answer and tugged off her right boot.

"Mai stop!" John grabbed her hand. Mai stared into his blue eyes which were looking worried and torn. He let go of her and started take off his own shoes.

Before he could jump overboard, the water erupted and Naru appeared, gasping for air.

"Naru!"

He trod water with difficulty. Mai spotted Masako's deathly pale face bobbing next to Naru's as he barely held her above the water.

"Masako!"

Was she dead? She looked it.

John grabbed her as Naru struggled to the side of the boat and hauled her onto the boat. Mai helped him pull Naru up and he flopped at Mai's feet.

Mai looked fearfully at Masako who lay still, sitting on the bottom of the boat half leaning against John.

"S-she's just unconscious," gasped John with relief and Mai felt the anxiety lift a little from her heart.

"Is she still possessed?"

John looked down at Masako's face. Her long eyelashes rested very black against her white cheeks. "I don't know."

Naru had been silent which Mai thought peculiar and she looked down at him. The anxiety returned and she knelt down in front of him, feeling shaky.

"Naru," she said quietly, "are you alright?"

His hair, flat to his scalp, dripped continually. He had his eyes closed and seemed to be concentrating on nothing but himself.

Mai reached out and touched the cold, pale hand that rested on his knee. His eyes opened and held hers. They were angry.

"How is she?" he said coldly to John.

"Just unconscious but if we don't get her dry and warm soon, I don't know…"

John's face was seized suddenly with determination. He sat down and started to row with furious strokes. Mai helped Naru sit on the seat, although 'helped' wasn't what it was Mai felt, only an annoyance to him. She scuttled away.

He sat rigidly, wet and stony. Idiot, Mai thought feeling upset. _I was scared for you. Really scared._

Mai sat down next to Masako and held her. She felt the wet and the cold seep into her own clothes and shivered. Tears built up in her eyes and made everything blurry.

_Please let Masako be OK. _She gazed past John's shoulder and watched Naru who was staring at his hands with eyes… Mai wondered if they could ever smile like in her dreams.

**Xxx**

Mai opened her eyes and frowned in confusion. She was laying on a bed wrapped in a thick blanket. Groggily, she sat up. _What's goin' on? _She yawned so widely her jaw cracked.

She looked at the bed to her left and it all came back. Masako! She leapt up and stood by Masako's pillowed head.

They had gotten back to the shore quickly and John had taken Masako in his arms and carried her to the house. Mai lingered by Naru who silently followed.

They met Ayako in the house talking to Suzu and she had instantly started giving orders.

"Do you have any spare blankets?"

"A hot water bottle?"

She had packed Naru and Masako away and had them dried up and wrapped in blankets. Mai had been given the job of making everybody a cup of tea and for Naru, her best mug of steaming earl grey.

Bou-san had bombarded her with questions until Ayako pulled him away and dropped down on the sofa, shoving him down next to her. Mai told them what had happened, John and Lin joining them.

They speculated for a while until Naru appeared. Lin got up stoically and with a threatening air ushered him back to his room.

Mai wondered how he had managed to do that. She looked down at the occupant of the bed. Masako was still asleep.

"She's not woken up yet," said a voice.

Mai jumped and found John sitting on a chair at the end of the two beds.

"I didn't mean to fall asleep," she told him sheepishly. John shook his head.

"No worries, Mai," he said.

Mai perched on the edge of the bed. She glanced around the room and spotted a lighter square-shaped patch of wall where a mirror had once been.

With all the happenings, she had completely forgotten about the woman she'd seen in the mirror although she had had a nightly reminder of the injury she had sustained. She couldn't lie on her arm without it hurting her.

She was surprised she hadn't remembered. Mai chewed her bottom lip and pondered. The woman she had seen wasn't the old lady's spirit. Maybe she was the spirit that had nearly drowned her and possessed Masako.

Maybe she had imagined it. _No_. Mai shook that thought away. _I definitely saw her. _But something was nagging at her mind, bothering her. There was something familiar about the woman's face, she was sure.

The snapshot her mind had taken was still quite clear save for a little fuzziness. The thing she remembered most was the eyes. Round, dark and penetrating. Beautiful eyes but…

A quiver went down from her neck to her stomach. She had seen the face before! Those eyes had looked straight at her. The woman had walked straight past her.

She was the woman from her dreams. The one who had scared her grandfather to death!

**Xxx**

Naru and Lin stood in the living room, both consulting printouts. There was a contemplative and tense quiet in the room.

"That spirit is still on the loose," said Bou-san. "We're not getting anywhere very fast are we." His faltering laugh met silence.

Mai found Naru looking at her coolly.

"You are my employee. It is your job to keep me informed."

Mai opened and closed her mouth

"I was just about to tell you," she said and bit her lip. She shouldn't have said that. It made it sound like an excuse.

"You were just going to wait until something serious happens," snapped Naru. "If you're so incompetent I might think about firing you."

Mai stiffened and felt hot waves of heat whoosh up and down her body. She looked down at the carpet.

Scathing words popped into her head one after the other in quick succession but they each died at her compressed lips and when the list ended she was left standing with nothing to say.

She felt unusually subdued. Feisty and snubbed she usually was on these sorts of occasions but not quiet.

It was usually Mai herself who worried everyone by doing something rash and impulsive. She had been very anxious for Naru and Masako's safety as they were swallowed by the lake.

"…you withheld information that could have moved the case on quicker. Masako is now lying inert possibly still possessed by a malicious spirit."

"Are you blaming me for that!" shouted Mai. It burst from her, the quiet, subdued Mai bashed aside at the affront at this accusation. Tears prickled at the edges of her eyelids.

"You stupid ass!"

"OK, lets calm down now," said Ayako. Mai didn't want to calm down. She marched toward the single armchair away from the others sitting on the sofas and plopped down on it and looked away to hide the moisture in her eyes.

"Mai," Ayako said in slightly admonishing tone.

"Look Naru, I wasn't on the boat when it happened but blaming Mai isn't right."

Mai looked through her hair at Bou-san as he defended her.

Fortunately the awkwardness was interrupted by a small creaking noise that came from the living room door. Everyone turned their head expecting someone to be standing there. Mai craned her neck but saw no one.

"Mai-oneesan," said a little voice by Mai's feet. Mai gave a start. Masami stood with Pito-chan clutched to her chest.

"Hello Masami-chan," said Mai in surprise. When Masami didn't say anything, Mai leant forward.

"What's the matter."

Masami revealed behind her toy, the same comb that she had shown to Mai in what seemed like days and days ago.

"Can you brush my hair?" said Masami quietly.

"Oh," breathed Mai. "Of coarse I can," she said. Mai scooted off the chair and sat on the floor.

She ran the comb gently through Masami's locks. She glanced past the little girl at Naru who was totally ignoring the proceedings. I hope he's annoyed, thought Mai.

"Where's your mother Masami?"

There was a small silence. "Hmm, mama's downstairs."

Mai let herself unwind with a deep breath. She let it out slowly whilst running the comb gently through the little girl's hair. _Naru can just nearly drown again, I won't care. _

In mid comb, Masami tipped her head back and stared solemnly up at Mai.

"Mai-oneesan? Do you know anything about mermaids?"

"Ningyo?"

Mai paused for a moment and thought deeply. She could remember her mother vaguely talking of Kappas. Bits and pieces about mermaids had accumulated over the years from the television.

"I don't know very much. If you eat the flesh of a mermaid you can live for a long time I think."

"Older than a grandpa?"

"Yeah, older than anyone."

Masami returned her gaze to the carpet.

"Masami-san," piped up Bou-san. He perched on the edge of the sofa and leant forward. "Have you ever heard the story of Happyaku Bikuni?"

Masami shook her head.

"Well then," said Bou-san with a smile. "The eight hundred year Buddhist priestess. One day, this guy from the Wakasa Province caught an unusual fish. In all his years, he had never seen anything like it, so he gathered all his mates together to eat it."

Mai grinned. Bou-san was a good storyteller.

"Now, one of the guys took a peek in the kitchen to see what they were going to eat and to his astonishment found that the head of the fish had a human face. Of coarse, this guy told his friends so they didn't eat it.

But one drunk man forgot to get rid of the fish and it was found and eaten by his daughter when he got home. Years past and his daughter didn't age. She lived to be eight hundred years old!"

Masami looked suitably awed as Bou-san finished with a hushed cry. Ayako looked bemused. Mai handed back Masami's comb.

"Like _Ningyo Shinzu_," said the monk with a smirk.

"You've watched that," muttered Ayako looking a bit exasperated.

"You'd better go back to your mother now. She might be wondering where you are," said Mai.

"I'll accompany you," said John softly holding out a hand in which Masami took without hesitation.

The room was doused with silence. Naru, who had stood like a black statue ever since Masami's appearance moved closer to the monitors and remained un-talking.

"Well then," said Bou-san quietly, "what are we going to do about Hara-san?"

There was quiet until Naru spoke. "Watch and wait."

Mai laced her fingers together. She sincerely hoped that Masako would awaken in good health.

"It's kind of creepy to think a man died in this house," said Bou-san.

"By fright and a heart attack no less," added Ayako. "But what I want to know is, who is this old lady spirit and what on earth does she have to do with anything."

"What did you say the name of the spirit that possessed Hara-san was?" said Bou-san.

"Toshihiko Shinobu," said Mai. "She also said something about a cousin."

Naru took a printout from Lin's work station. "Lin has found the Hamasaki's family tree. It's a little patchy in some places and it is especially unclear since we don't yet know precisely what to look for."

"What about the old man in my dreams. He mentioned a name." Mai thought hard for a moment. She could just remember, it brushed the front of her mind.

"Aikawa Kurata! That was it! His granddaughter was engaged to be married to him."

Lin consulted his paper. "There is no man of that name here," he said.

"Really? That's strange. Maybe we should ask Ryouta-san about the old man."

"Toshihiko Shinobu," said Naru. "She had a sister, Toshihiko Miu. The father, Toshihiko Takeuchi and mother, Toshihiko Kame and the father had a brother with the name of Botan. It doesn't tell us much really."

"Shinobu-san said her cousin was a 'she'."

Naru scanned the family tree. Takeuchi's brother had a wife named Tomoya who also had a sister named Honoka."

"Hmm, two cousins there," said Bou-san with suspicion.

"There are also other cousins in this family tree," muttered Naru.

"Still."

"We still aren't any closer to figuring this case out." Ayako stretched and stood up. "I don't know about you but I need something to happen. I'm beginning to think you didn't need my services."

Mai sighed. At least Naru hadn't ordered her to make any tea for a while. It was a bit suspicious really. She looked slyly at Naru's turned back and as if he had read her mind…

"Mai, tea."

Hahah, it was funny really.

She had just closed the door to the hallway when she had a thought. Yes, she mused, it looked like that. _Naru's tea will have to wait for a moment. _She set off down the hallway in pursuit of a certain room...

**Xxx **

**

* * *

  
**

My apologies for the this chapters tardiness.


	7. Chapter 7

**Xxx **

The door. It was closed and just as Mai recalled. She looked conspiratorially down the corridor. She was slightly nervous that Naru would catch her in the act of deliberately disobeying his order, especially since he'd been miffed at her.

A quick look and that's that, Mai thought and pushed the door open. The dark room with its stuffy air and closed green curtains opened out before her.

She stepped inside and felt a faint replica of the feeling she had gotten when she had first stepped foot into this room which seemed a long time ago.

She strode across and stood. _Yes, this is the same room that both my dreams occurred in. Right!_

The looked around and thought hard. Grandpa's old study. Granddaughter in an arranged marriage. Granddaughter kills Grandpa. Doesn't look like murder. Who would suspect. The old man had only died of a heart attack after all.

What else? A girl called Toshihiko Shinobu found dead in the lake. A mysterious death. Loss of blood through gory means. She was a cousin to the murderer.

All this was making Mai's brain spin. She absentmindedly picked up the photo frame on the shelf and stared at the face in the picture.

The old man. He was preserved forever in a snapshot. His never ending dark stare. _How could I have forgotten about this? Maybe the Hamasaki's know who he is. _

"Mai?"

Mai turned around to find John leaning around the door.

"What are you doing in here?"

"Oh," Mai said, "I just got sidetracked."

She walked briskly out of the study, shivered as she passed through the doorframe as a whisper of the disturbing sensation she had experienced when she first came across the room.

"What's that?" John gestured at the picture frame in her hand.

Mai handed it him. He studied it for a moment.

"What scary eyes. Who is he?"

Mai shrugged. "I thought about asking Suzu-san."

As they continued along the corridor, Mai had the funny feeling that she was being closely followed by a presence. She shrugged her shoulders, uncomfortable. Glancing behind her, she saw nothing unusual. She surreptitiously observed John. He didn't look to be bothered by anything.

Nevertheless, Mai sped up. A second later, they were stood outside the base door. It clicked then, what she had forgotten.

"Ahhh!"

She took John by surprise. "What's the matter?" he said looking concerned.

"Sorry," she said speaking in a whisper. "I forgot to get Naru's tea!"

With that, she rushed down the corridor hissing to John as she went. "Don't tell him! You never saw me, OK!"

**Xxx**

Mai peeked around the door. Did John say anything? Did Naru notice that she was late with bringing his precious tea?

She slipped inside. Hopefully, the bit of information she had for him, would make up for being late.

Mai had rushed into the kitchen, put the kettle on and surprised Suzu-san who came in a second later.

"Taniyama-san, you gave me a scare!"

"Sorry. I'm just preparing tea."

Suzu-san knelt down and pushed a pile of dirty laundry into the washing machine. Mai stood there a bit awkwardly.

"I'm not intruding am I," she said.

"Oh no, not at all," said Suzu-san in a rush, hasty to amend. "Of course, it feels a little strange having you all here, but it's a big house after all."

"I wouldn't say no to entertaining a few guests for a while. It's nice to have extra company. Here let me help."

Suzu handed Mai four cups. "How many of you are there again?"

"Er…seven."

Suzu past her three more cups.

"I didn't put enough in the kettle," said Mai.

"Don't worry, I'll handle it."

Mai smiled. "You really do like being the hostess."

Suzu smiled back broadly.

The room was quiet for a moment with only the noise of the kettle in the air. Mai remembered the picture. It was still in her hand.

"Suzu-san? I found this picture in one of the rooms upstairs. Do you know who this person is?"

She handed the frame to her and left Suzu to study it whilst Mai turned off the kettle.

"Which room was it in?"

"The one at the end of the passage. It looks like an office."

"Oh, that room. We left that one how it was when we came here. I don't think I recognize the man in this picture."

Suzu handed it back to Mai. "He's quite old. I never knew my great grandpa."

"So, he's a mystery."

Mai frowned at the photo. It was infuriating knowing the face but not the name.

"Although."

Mai perked up.

"My fathers name was Toshihiko Michi, my great grandfather name was Tamura. Has Shibuya-san researched the family tree?"

"Yes. You are part of a big family," said Mai.

"Toshihiko Takeuchi had a brother, Botan. His wife should carry a maiden name that might pertain to the man in the picture. The history around that era is a bit vague."

Suzu-san waved a hand. "I hope that helps a bit."

"Yes! Thank you. I shall relay it over to the boss."

Suzu helped her gather the cups on the tray, fussing at her to look after her injured arm and to be careful on the stairs.

"I'll be alright Suzu-san," assured Mai.

And here she was, standing outside the base, peeking through the door that was ajar.

Naru was standing by the monitors whilst talking to Lin. The others milled around looking decidedly bored.

Mai slipped in quietly. She decided to go with the innocent and truthful approach.

"I've brought refreshments," she said cheerfully.

"Oooh, look at that tray of beverages," said Ayako. She skittered over and took a cup.

"Not that one Bou-san," said Mai fending of his hand, "this one is Naru's."

John picked his off the tray. Mai settled Lin's cup on his desk which she wasn't surprised he ignored.

"Suzu-san insisted on making everybody something. She is very generous you know!"

She rounded back to Naru and settled his cup on the monitor table. He hadn't said a word yet.

"Yeah. We had a informative chat. As for being a while, the kettle had to boil twice as much water!"

"Not so loud Mai."

Naru shushed her with a quiet sentence with annoyance on his face. He didn't expound on the fact that she had indeed been very late with his tea. Mai was relieved.

"Naru. I really did have an informative talk with Suzu-san. I found out a bit of information."

Naru leant on the table, suddenly attentive. "I'm listening."

Mai relayed what Suzu had said and hoped it was info worthy of inspection. She watched Naru support his chin in thought.

"Lin. Where is the family tree?"

Lin quickly handed it to him and both of them poured over it.

"Toshihiko Botan married Tomoya."

Mai leant forward eagerly. "What's her maiden name?"

"Michida."

So the grandfather's surname could be Michida, Mai thought.

"Tomoya? The two cousins right? Tomoya and the other one, what's her name?" said Bou-san.

"Michida Honoka."

"Hmm. They are cousins to…?" Bou-san trailed off.

"To two sisters. Three brothers and so forth."

"Ach, such a big family it makes my brain hurt," muttered Bou-san.

"No surprise there," said Ayako who breezed over to where Naru was standing and looked over his shoulder.

Mai had a brief quibble. _I wish I was that tall, so I can look over Naru's shoulder like that. I could blow in his ear to make him cross. Also I could do some intimidating of my own._

Ayako hummed in thought.

"So basically, we're looking for a cousin, a female."

"Very good Matsuzaki, we didn't know that. Thank you for enlightening us," said Bou-san wryly.

Ayako's eyebrow twitched. She swept and held her auburn hair away from her face as it threatened to droop over her cheek and Naru's shoulder.

Mai noticed Bou-san seemed taken by that. He remained quiet, staring at Ayako before turning his gaze away. Mai felt glee bubble inside her, almost like she had been caught with her hand in the cookie jar, and as if she had witnessed something not often seen.

"….portraits would be very invaluable. Mai could you recall the face of the woman in your dream?"

"Huh? Oh! I think so."

"Would you be able to sketch it?"

Mai balked. _Draw? _"I can't really draw to save my life."

On seeing Naru's blank look, she backtracked. "But, I'll give it a try."

She sat down with a piece of paper and a pencil. She wallowed for a minute on how she should begin, twirling the pencil between her fingers.

She shut her eyes and tried to bring the woman's face to her minds eye. It came, sort of fuzzy but shapely.

She put pencil to paper and hesitantly began to sketch it. A nose like that. Eyes like almonds. She finished with a few exuberant strokes, scribbled in the hair and drew back.

She squinted at it and thought it wasn't too bad.

"There!" she said. Naru snatched it up and took a look at it. Her handiwork received no reaction from him.

The piece of paper was pinched away by Bou-san and Ayako.

Bou-san sputtered. "Wow, it's not bad Jou-chan." _'sputter'_

"It's not bad but it's not excellent either," said Ayako. _'chuckle'_

"It's passable," said Naru abruptly.

"Hey, I tried my best."

"Yes, she tried her best, Monk. So quit laughing."

"What are you saying? You're laughing to."

"Lin, go and see if Suzu-san can recognize this face at all."

**Xxx**

Mai looked gloomily at the monitors. Nothing unusual here, no altering temperatures there. All was fine and dandy.

Until, that is, she glanced at the monitor picturing the room with the mirror put up for observation.

She caught movement down by the corner. She frowned and her heart rate picked up. Maybe it was a spirit.

Something came onto the screen and Mai gasped. She burst out her seat.

"Naru! Suzu and Masami are in the observation room!"

No sooner as the words exited her mouth, the house began to quake.

**Xxx**

She had just set foot out of the base when the floor began to tremble under her feet. Mai ran down the hall, breath coming in gasps. She reached the room and started to batter on the door with her fists call frantically.

A hand grabbed her arm and pulled her away. Bou-san bashed his shoulder into the door. Lin lent into it too.

The house shook around them and Mai's heart raced. The door was buckling and then Bou-san and Lin were through.

"Stay there!" said Bou-san to her. Mai ignored him and pushed through them.

"Suzu-san! Masami!"

It was hard to walk straight since the floor was moving under her feet. She spotted the huddled figures of Suzu and Masami against the wall to her right.

Somebody grabbed Mai's arms and pulled her backwards.

"Let go!" she yelled.

Mai craned her neck and glared at the person holding her back. It was Naru. She struggled in his grasp.

Bou-san managed to get up to them. He took Masami in one arm and Lin guided Suzu. They made there way slowly across the room, stumbling and swaying.

"Come on!"

Suzu tripped. She was caught by Lin and they struggled upright. Suzu, with wide frightened eyes looked over to the mirror on the left wall which was still, strangely, intact.

Mai's breath lodged in her throat. _Don't look in the mirror! _

The glass cracked and shattered. Shards flew outwards. Suzu shrieked. Lin ducked, pushed her head down and tried to shield her.

Naru dragged Mai away from the door as she fought desperately to escape.

"Stop it Mai!" said Naru angrily. Ayako took Masami from Bou-san's arm, Lin stumbled through with Suzu. They ducked down as the house shook.

Just as quickly as the quake started, it stopped and there was stillness. The only sound was of heavy breathing, Masami's sobs and Ayako's whispered words of comfort.

Naru let go of Mai's arms. He strode to the doorway and looked inside. The wallpaper was shredded and the mirror lay on the floor a broken, twisted mess.

Suzu fell to her knees next to Ayako and held Masami. Tears slid down her face. She stroked Masami's cheek with trembling fingers.

"Shhh, baby, it's alright now."

"Are you hurt Hamasaki-san?" said Lin. Suzu shook her head. She squeezed her eyes shut. She opened them and stared earnestly at Naru and then Mai.

"I saw a face in the mirror."

Everybody stilled.

"You saw a face? Can you describe it?" said Naru urgently.

Mai scowled at him.

"Jeeze, Naru, let her catch her breath," said Bou-san.

"No, it's all right. It was the same woman as in Mai's drawing. She looking horribly at me."

Ayako put a hand on Suzu's shoulder. "Come on, let's get away from this room."

Mai peered inside, past Naru who was still standing in the doorway. There was no threats or pleas for help written on the walls. Nothing to give them a clue to what the ghost wanted or how they could exorcise it.

"It wanted to harm Suzu," said Naru quietly. "First it was Masami, then you, Masako, Suzu. Can you see the pattern there?"

"Yeah," said Mai grimly. "The victims are all female."

**Xxx**


	8. Chapter 8

A/N I've come back from the dead! Wahey! Well, more- 'I've whipped myself into shape and gotten the next chapter written'.

* * *

**xxx**

John sat by Masako's bed. He was reading some passages from Psalms when the room began to shake. He stood up, alarmed. _What's happening?_

He walked quickly to the door and peered down the hallway. He saw Naru pelting down it towards him.

"What's going on!" he called. Naru slowed and briefly looked into the room.

"John, look after Masako," he said briefly and disappeared. John lingered in the doorway a little confused. The floor started moving more violently. He stumbled back to Masako's side.

He started praying under his breath and kept a close eye on Masako, to make sure she didn't slide of the bed.

**Xxx**

He didn't know how long it lasted but now the quake had stopped. John sighed in relief. He stuck his head out into the hallway.

Down the way, he could see Naru and the rest of the squad lingering around one of the rooms. He watched, worried. Masami was crying. Suzu looked shaken.

John was hesitant to leave Masako's side. "I'll be back in a minute," he said and smiled apologetically at her.

Her dark, heavy lashed eyes fluttered open. John, stunned, stared down at her pale face. She looked around disorientated before fixing her gaze on him.

"Hara-san!" John called out joyfully. His feelings turned to concern a second later. Her eyes blinked owlishly up at him. _She might be still possessed._

John smiled warily. "Hara-san, how are you feeling?"

Masako's eyes drifted about the room again. A frown marred her brow. She brought her hands up from beneath the covers.

"I feel a little nauseous."

Her voice was weak and small. "What happened? I'm in bed." She scrunched the duvet in one hand and turned a confused expression on to him. "I remember being in a boat."

"You remember correctly," said John.

"I felt so much anguish, terror and," her eyes flicked down to the bed as if searching for something in her mind. "Jealousy."

She put a hand over her heart.

"Hara-san," said John calling her out of the depths she had gone. "I'll tell Shibuya-san that you're conscious."

"Shibuya-san!" he called down the hallway. "Hara-san has awakened!"

**Xxx**

"You were possessed by Toshihiko."

They had gathered in Masako's room. She was sitting up against her pillows, looking weary. Mai handed her a glass of water.

"You both fell into the lake," said Mai.

"Both?"

"You and Naru."

"I am completely well," said Naru, holding up a hand as Masako looked at him with an anxious expression.

Masako put the glass on the bedside table.

"What did Shinobu-san have to say?"

Naru regarded her seriously. "All we got from the happenings was the fact that one of Shinobu's cousins murdered her. It is safe to say Shinobu's spirit is being used."

"An empty spirit."

"Yes."

Mai remembered the evil look on Masako's face before she had lunged at her. Toshihiko Shinobu with no rest, somebody else's will controlling her.

Masami was still sniffling in her mothers arms. Naru turned to her mother.

"I said there was to be strictly no access to that room."

Naru looked at Suzu for an explanation.

"I don't know how Masami could have gotten into it. She wouldn't have been able to reach the doorknob."

Masami hid her face in Suzu's shoulder.

"Sweetie. Tell mummy."

"Was there somebody there?" said Bou-san.

Masami peaked at him. "Granny," she said quietly.

There was a collective gasp.

"Why that old hag," said Bou-san angry. "I'm getting fed up of this hiding game it's playing."

"As Mai stated the obvious earlier," said Naru ignoring the scathing glare Mai pinned him with, "the victims of this spirit have all been female."

"The attacks are not kept to just the descendents of Michida. Mai has been targeted also. It's not an ancestors curse. It is unclear what is keeping the spirit here."

Lin placed the camera from the observation room on the table.

"I believe we should look at the footage," he said.

**Xxx**

Everybody huddled around the monitor their eyes fixed to the screen. The camera had been focussed towards the mirror on the wall.

"There," said Mai. She pointed at the materializing figure with a feeling of horror. The old lady deliberately looked into the eye of the camera.

Mai couldn't turn her gaze away. Such wrinkled skin and piercing eyes.

"_Hello, child."_

A shiver worked its way down Mai's body. It was a mature voice, rich and with no huskiness due to old age.

The old women held up her arms and made a beckoning gesture.

"Who are you, Obaa-san?"

That was Masami's voice. For a moment, the spirit's eyes sharpened even further and her face seemed to strain, the wrinkles flattening, the tendons in her neck tightening.

She seemed to deflate a moment later and then a smile spread slowly across her face. She made the beckoning gesture again.

"_Come."_

"Masami?"

Then Suzu's voice could be heard through the microphone, alarmed. The image of the mirror was blocked for a moment by Suzu as she ran across to Masami.

As the room began to tremble, the picture stuttered. Mai saw Suzu's frightened face in the mirror, the moment her eyes looked into it before the glass burst out.

Mai heard SPR's shouts through the microphone. There was Bou-san. Then the camera tipped and would have crashed to the floor if Lin hadn't caught it.

Mai couldn't tell when the old lady disappeared but it must have been when Suzu entered the room.

When the video footage ended there was a short silence.

Naru noticed something on the floor. He'd stepped on it unwittingly. As he held it up, Masami noticed and reached out with a cry.

"That's Masami's comb," said Mai.

Naru made no move to give it to Masami. In fact, he seemed to have paused and was staring with dark, concealed eyes.

"Naru?"

After a few moments, he drew out of wherever he had gone and wrapped the comb tightly in his fingers.

"I see," he said quietly. "It's all coming together."

Mai frowned in puzzlement. "What's wrong?" she asked.

Naru ignored her and stepped up to Suzu. He handed Masami the comb. She grabbed it and hugged it to her body.

"The case is getting ever clearer. Rest assured Hamasaki-san, that it will be solved soon."

Suzu nodded. She looked tired.

"Suggest that you don't let Masami out of your sight."

"Oh, I won't. She'll sleep in our bedroom tonight."

The little assembly seemed to be finished. Suzu left. Naru began issuing orders in quick succession.

"Matsuzaki-san, check the protective charms on the bathroom. Mai, check the other cameras and read the temperatures again. Masako, rest if you have to. Brown-san and Bou-san, can you search the house for anything unusual, find and bring me anything like memorabilia."

"Ay-ay cap'n," said Bou-san. "Come on John."

Before Mai left, Naru had just one last order to say. "Mai, make tea."

"Before or after I check the cameras?"

Mai knew the answer already. Naru stared plaintively at her whilst, with crossed arms, she smirked.

"Alright, OK, I'm on it!"

Mai left. She caught one last order as she went.

"Lin, we need to look over the family history and tree. "

_Naru, you slave driver. _She smiled. It was good though, that the case was moving forward.

**Xxx**

A yawn stretched Ayako's face. Mai giggled and the Miko abruptly cut it short. She gave Mai a glare.

"You catching flies," Mai said and ducked as a pillow sailed over her head.

"I've had enough of Monk for one day, don't you start at it."

"It's because our Miko hasn't had her quota of pampering," said Masako with a sneer.

"Look who's talking Queen of Primp," Ayako snapped back.

Mai stared at the ceiling and fiddled with the collar of her pyjamas.

"Who in there right mind would give a time limit to bathroom usage," grumbled Ayako in disgust.

Naru, apparently, thought Mai.

She observed Ayako combing her hair. One say, her own hair would be long enough to brush like that.

Mai, out of impulse, got off her bed and plonked herself down onto Masako's bed.

"Comb," she said imperiously whilst Masako gave her an annoyed frown.

"Che, the nerve," said Ayako from behind. "Get your own brush and do it yourself."

"Aww, come on Ayako."

For a moment, Mai thought she wouldn't comply. She clutched her knees to her chest. Then she felt the bristled of the brush on her scalp and smiled.

Ayako combed a little roughly and it was a short experience since Mai's hair wasn't long at all. She was secretly ecstatic. She could imagine it as her own mother brushing her hair.

Even though her imaginary fun was short, it was nice.

"Thanks!" she chirped and bounced back onto her own bed.

Ayako made a soft humphing noise. "Off to bed with you," she said.

Ayako left the chair, crossed over the room and opened the door.

"Good night." She disappeared and Mai heard the next room's door close.

They settled down and clicked off the bedside lights.

Masako was asleep very quickly. She must be still weak, thought Mai.

Mai's eyes drooped and closed. _I wonder whether I'll have a dream tonight. _With that last musing, she dropped to sleep.

**Xxx**

She did dream and opened her eyes to her dreamscape. Like in the case with the Ryokuryou school and _kokkuri-san, she _dreamed a dream thatwas similar.

It was down below her, the house. The scene was dark and the house consisted of white lines, and looked like a blueprint. All the boundaries, doors, and walls were gone and Mai could see inside the house easily.

Naru appeared by her side and made her jump. He pointed.

"What is it?" said Mai, peering down at the house. She could see the glowing outlines of everybody sleeping.

In one of the empty, black filled bedrooms, there was what seemed to be an in-built wardrobe space but Mai thought that it was a little too big to be just a wardrobe.

"What's that?" she said. "Is this what you wanted to show me."

Naru nodded. "Be careful," he said. Mai floated above the room. Something was odd about it. Before she could fully take note of where it was situated, her eyes opened in the real world.

The bedside table filled her vision. She vaguely registered that she had woken and rolling over, she settled into a comfortable position and went back to sleep.

She floated to the ground. Slowly, a fog accumulated around her ankles. The dreamscape turned blue and murky. Mai shivered. _I'm having another dream?_

_Naru?_

She had meant to say it out loud but she found she couldn't. She stepped forward and her feet landed on pebbles. Cold air made her skin creep.

Her body was clad in a casual kimono. The Hamasaki's lake was spread before her, a twinkling, beautiful expanse covered in the majesty of the setting sun.

The sun was already dipped below the horizon making it orange and the sky deep blue.

She was calm, her face solemn. The water lapped at her toes. Despite the tranquillity, she felt troubled and agitated.

Why did she have to be here? She wanted to go home.

Mai, privy to all this, felt alarm. This was beginning to look like the sort of thing that had happened in Urado's mansion.

There was a crunch. Somebody was behind her, treading softly on the pebbly shore.

"Who is there?"

Mai, the person who's situation she was reliving, turned her head. All Mai got to see was a shadow. "Oh, it's you."

A feminine chuckle issued from the mouth of the shadow. Mai's instincts told her to run and she recognized that voice, it was horrible familiar.

_Run!_

"Cousin," the shadow said before rushing up to her.

Suddenly, Mai was slammed from the back and knocked into the lake. The water sunk into her kimono and Mai struggled to stand, the wet fabric clinging to her.

She was tackled and kept down. Mai's head was submerged. Bubbles flew past her face. Terror seized her. The memory of being restrained in the bathtub blazed in her mind.

But this was not her own body. Somebody else was fighting for their life.

Bucking and twisting violently, her face surfaced as her assaulter lost grip on her shoulder.

"Stop. Please stop!"

Mai gasped and choked on water. The shadow above her lifted its arm, the last of the light glanced of something metallic. She held a knife in a tight fist.

Mai screamed and uttered inarticulate cries, whilst scrambling away digging her heals and elbows into the gritty lakeshore.

It plunged down into her thigh, dug into her flesh.

"Guh." A low, pained noise left her throat.

Her vision blackened, all the breath left her. The knife began to carve.

White hot, throbbing shafts of pain racked Mai's body. She screamed and wailed.

There was no thought, all she felt was agony.

She lay there suffering, gasping and clutching her leg. The water was black. Slowly, the water lapped at her head. It felt as if her being was dissolving into the lake and the ripples were washing her away.

Her eyesight was ringed with black around the corners._ I am dying. _A cloud passed above her in the navy sky and she felt numb. _I can't feel anything. _Maybe she was the lake and her body never existed_._

Her eyes were open but they saw only darkness. Her thoughts drizzled to a stop. Blackness, blackness and nothing...

".."

Mai's eyes snapped open. She was half aware that she had made a loud shout. Sitting up shakily, she felt hot and weak, breathless and sweaty.

She clasped her thigh, looked in horror at her leg, feeling and still seeing the knife go in. She covered the place with her hand as if to block out the image.

The place ached with the remnants of pain. Mai closed her eyes and concentrated on the blackness, the quiet.

She slowed her breathing. Opening her eyes, she gazed about the room. It was almost pitch black. Only a slight glow came through the curtains.

She took the neck of her pyjamas and flapped the fabric to circulate some cool air inside.

Nice cool air. She shivered. _Gosh, it's quite chilly. _Her cooling skin, layered with sweat, prickled with goosebumps.

She rubbed her arms. Her eyes were starting to droop. It must have been the middle of the night and her brain was shutting down already, the dream fading a little.

In these situations, she didn't like the idea of going back to sleep. Some part of her felt raw because of the nightmare.

But nothing could stop the pull to slip into slumber. It was, Mai peered at the glowing hands of her wrist watch, 4:10 at night. She wiped her eyes and sighed. She was just about to lie down again, when in the darkness and quiet, something moved.

She froze. It came from over by the door, to her left. Looking carefully, Mai dared not move. She waited nervously for any other sign and thought nothing was there until a blacker shadow amongst black moved. Her heart slammed painfully in her breast, so hard she could hear it in her ears. The silence stretched on. She wanted to move, to dive under the bed covers, but she was stiff.

Her breath came in shallow huffs, though she tried not to breath, not to make a sound. Slowly, she looked out of the corner of her eye at the corner by the door.

Something was there. She could see it. A very slight outline. She desperately wanted to wake Masako but her throat was closed up.

Mai trembled. The room felt frigid. Her nose was stone cold and it was dripping. She had to try.

"_Masako_."

Her voice was barely a breath. Tears gathered in her eyes. It was unbearable.

"Masako. Wake up."

The medium stirred slightly.

"Masako, please. Wake up!"

Mai's voice burst out a little louder. "Masako!"

"Hm, what on earth, Mai?" A very sleepy voice came from Masako's bed.

Mai watched in horror as the figure by the door shuffled forward. "There's something in the room!"

Masako shifted in her covers and turned a mussed head in Mai's direction. She reached out a hand and flicked on the bedside lamp.

Warm light flooded the bedroom and Mai felt a stab of pain in her eyes. The corner was lit up, the darkness banished. There was nothing there now.

She found Masako glaring at her. The relief was so great, she didn't mind being looked at like that.

"What are you doing waking me up at this ridiculous hour?"

Masako's dark eyes observed her under heavy lids. Her normally neat hair was frazzled. Mai hugged herself and wiped her runny nose. Masako watched the motion.

"Were you crying?" she demanded.

"No."

Masako continued to watch her sharply.

"There was something over there." Mai gestured over with a shaky hand and Masako followed it. She did look slightly uneasy.

"There's nothing there."

"There isn't now."

Masako reached over to switch off the light.

"No," Mai knelt on the edge of her bed and implored her earnestly. "Please, can we leave it on?" She glanced at the corner. "Please."

Masako harrumphed and to Mai's relief, left the switch untouched.

"Well, goodnight," said Masako tersely.

She turned her back and flung her covers about her. Mai settled on her bed feeling wary about turning her back to the corner. She closed her eyes with the glow of the light washing through her eyelids and slowly drifted off into a light sleep.

The corner remained empty.

**Xxx**

I hope you enjoyed it! Keep an eye out for the next chapter, I won't leave it so late this time. b^^d

Thanks for chapter 7's reviews everybody.**  
**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N - ** Updated at last. I should at least finish what I started, so therefore I apologise. Feel free to tell me off. [That is, if anyone is still interested in B.L. It's been so long (Two years. Crikey!) and who knows how many inspired, fantastic Fanfictions have graced the GH archive placing this fic in the bottom of the pile forgotten].

I have put together a brief overview so you can recap on what has gone on. Skip to the bottom of the overview to read Chapter Nine if you don't want to recap :)

I'm really sorry and disappointed with myself for not finishing this. A change in priorities occurred and I couldn't seem to get back into it again.

**So, here we go, the story thus far…**

SPR go to a house that is haunted by a ghost. The family are the Hamasaki's. They have a daughter called Masami. Suzu was injured by flying glass and Masami was nearly drowned in the lake. Those reasons are why the Hamasaki's call in SPR.

Mai finds a study in the house that is unused. There is a picture of an elderly man in there. Later, one of the mirrors in the house shatters and injures Mai. She sees the image of a beautiful lady before it shatters.

Naru has all the mirrors removed. Mai has a dream. She is in the study that she discovered and there is a old man and his granddaughter talking inside. We learn of the unknown lady's arranged engagement to a man called Aikawa Kurata.

Mai is nearly drowned in the bathtub by the same force that tried to drown Masami. Wards are set around a main bathroom and the water is too be used as little as possible.

We then find out that the Hamasaki's had refrained from telling SPR about an unusual incident. A woman called Toshihiko Shinobu had been found dead years ago in the lake with a chunk of flesh missing from her thigh.

Mai has a dream about the study again where she witnessed the murder of the grandfather by the 'unknown' granddaughter. He dies because of terror.

SPR investigate the lake, because of the connection with water. Masako is possessed by the ghost (Shinobu) that wanted to drown Masami/Mai. We learn that Shinobu was related (a cousin) to the person that had killed her. Both Naru and Masako fall into the lake.

Masako remains asleep for awhile. Mai realizes that the granddaughter in her dreams was the same lady that she had seen in the mirror before it had shattered.

They learn of two possible cousins that could have killed Shinobu. Mai follows a hunch and goes back to the unused study and has another look at that photo. It's a picture of the grandfather in her dream, but nobody knows his name.

Suzu and Masami are targeted by a force that shakes the house. Suzu glimpses the lady in the mirror SPR had set up. Masami had wondered into the room because the old lady spirit had lured her in.

That night, Mai has one of 'those' dreams where she experiences the death of Shinobu but she does not see **who **murdered her. On awakening, there is something watching her from the corner of the room. It does nothing, and fades away.

_To be continued…_

* * *

**Chapter Nine**

_Hamasaki Residence - Day Four  
_

Mai had woken up feeling groggy and tired. It had taken her awhile to become alert; however, when she did, she had pinched the bridge of her nose and wished the events of last night hadn't happened.

As she got dressed, Mai inspected her thigh. Nothing was wrong with it. She sat on her bed in a contemplative mood. She wondered whether to tell Naru about the dream.

After so many intense feelings brought to her by reliving Shinobu's death (she had guessed it was Shinobu. Who else could it have been?) she was reluctant to voice the dream out loud. It was a frightening, and a slightly embarrassing thing for her to do.

Even though it had been Shinobu, it may as well have been Mai herself. The incident was stuck in her brain as 'her' own death, and 'her' own experience.

Mai sighed and shivered. Today, she'd put on a skirt, tights and a black polo neck. The weather was cold and the lake was choppy.

The time was nine-thirty when she went downstairs. It looked as though breakfast was over already.

"Are you feeling alright, dear?"

Suzu's voice surprised Mai as she entered the kitchen. She was handed a bowl of rice and fried shrimp.

"You look tired. Go, sit down and eat."

Mai complied.

After eating, she went in search of the others.

~Ghost**xx**Hunt~

Lin was seeing to one of the monitors. It had a loose connection. Naru sat with one hand bracing his forehead. It was possible that he was suffering from caffeine withdrawal. Mai hadn't made an appearance yet to make him any tea.

Ayako lounged and sipped at her coffee. John was sitting out of the way, reading. Bou-san idled and flicked through a magazine.

At a quarter to nine, Mai pushed open the base door, nicely dressed and smiling.

"Hello!" she said.

"What time do you call this?" said Bou-san. Mai rolled her eyes.

"I call it 'the morning'. Don't go all Naru on me."

"You look tired," said Ayako bluntly. "Had a bad night?"

Masako snatched up the chance the topic provided. "She woke me up last night," she said tersely.

Naru turned an expectant and questioning look on Mai. Mai shrugged.

"I saw something in our bedroom," she said then shuddered on remembering. "It was standing in the corner. I think it might have been the old lady spirit."

"It better have been. I don't like the thought that I'd been woken up for nothing," said Masako scathingly.

Mai frowned.

"Mai," Naru interrupted, "see to the temperatures."

Mai snatched the gauge out of his hand and marched out of the base.

Masako stared after her. "I think she had one of 'those' dreams last night," she said quietly from behind her sleeve.

"Really?" said Ayako looking a little worried. Bou-san stopped fiddling with his pen and turned his attention to Masako.

"She woke me up, made me switch the bedside lamp on, and from what I could see, she was trembling without control and sweating quite profusely." Masako finished in a monotonous voice.

"But Mai-chan hasn't said anything about it," said Bou-san.

"Without us urging, has she ever said so before?"

"I suppose not."

"We shouldn't push her if it was 'that sort' of dream," said John.

Naru looked thoughtfully at the monitors at Mai who was in one of the bedrooms.

"It would be better if she did voice it," he said flatly.

~Ghost**xx**Hunt~

Family Tree (abridged), ( ) = maiden names. Underlined = Children of mother below

~Present~

Hamasaki Masami

Hamasaki Ryouta, Hamasaki (Toshihiko)Suzu

Toshihiko Kawauchi, Toshihiko (Toshio)Irie

Toshihiko Michi, Toshihiko (Yoshiyuki)Hiroko

Toshihiko Tamura, Toshihiko (Noriaki)Hoshi

? |

Michida Honoka (Aikawa Kurata) Toshihiko Botan, Toshihiko (Michida)Tomoya

Michida Daiki, Machida (Doujima)Youko

Michida Goro, Michida (Eiko)Chou

~Past~

SPR studied the Hamasaki's family tree.

"OK. What about cousins?"

"Michida Tomoya and Honoka, Toshihiko Shinobu and Miu, Shiina Fumiko, Shiina Nishizaki, Shiina Ichigo. Masuda Kura and the list goes on."

"But what is interesting, is that at one point in time, all the children born were female."

"Isn't it weird," said Bou-san. "The family name was changed completely."

"Precisely."

"I don't think Michida would've been pleased," said Ayako.

"Hamasaki Suzu is the descendant of Toshihiko Tomoya," said Naru.

"Michida Honoka-san's family line ends." said Lin. "Also, I've found a letter. Honoka-san was once engaged, but it was annulled."

"How come Michida Honoka doesn't have any descendents?" Mai chewed the end of her pen thoughtfully.

"Weren't you listening? She wasn't married even though she was engaged at one point," said Ayako. "What happened I wonder."

"What was the name of her fiancé?" said Mai.

"That piece of information is a little blurred, but it seems to be a man named Aikawa Kurata," said Naru.

Mai frowned. The name was familiar. "Aikawa Kurata?"

"Michida Tomoya, her sister, was married to a Toshihiko Botan."

"Wait, wait," said Mai quickly. It was suddenly coming to her. "Aikawa Kurata! It's him!"

At her outburst, everyone turned towards her. "Who's him?" questioned Naru.

Mai had set about pacing. Her thoughts whirled.

"It was that guy," Mai expressed with her hands. "The one the lady in my dream was going to marry. Her grandfather…HER GRANDFATHER!"

"Not so loud, idiot," said Naru.

Mai could see the old man propped up against the bookcase, dead. _It was her! It was him!_ "I…I think the lady in my dream might've been Michida Honoka!"

"You think?"

"I'm sure."

Ayako grabbed the sketch Mai had done, now scrumpled and tea-stained.

"This lady?"

"Yes!" Mai was left slightly breathless and silence covered the room. Naru nodded in understanding.

"We now have a name to the face."

~Ghost**xx**Hunt~

Mai found herself deep in thought as she went around the rooms. She yawned. What a night, she mused. I hope tonight will be dreamless.

As she delved deeper into her memories. She recalled the strange perspective her dream had taken before she had to endure Shinobu's horrible demise.

Like schematics or a blueprint, she thought. Then, out of the blue, she remembered the strange wardrobe space.

She pulled out of her reverie, the temperature reading unseen on the devise. What room would it have been in? In the end, after much thinking, she kept an eye out for the wardrobe as she checked the temperatures.

She came across it suddenly. The strange space turned out to be at the back of a wardrobe in a room where the first noticeable thing had been an eerie feeling which made her shiver.

She'd taken to looking inside each wardrobe she found. The one in this bedroom was large and made of dark wood. Glancing inside had revealed nothing out of the ordinary, except for a foreboding feeling that started in Mai's breast.

All of a sudden, her vision turned black.

~Ghost**xx**Hunt~

John flicked the page over and continued reading. Masako sat at the table consumed in her thoughts. What concerned her the most was the fleeting emotions that kept reaching her psyche.

They seemed to brush the outside of her awareness and never came out into the open. She was feeling such a thing now. It made her uneasy and slightly annoyed.

At present, she found her gaze on the monitors; though, focussing on the dark feeling far away, she didn't comprehend what was on the screen until Lin made an exclamation.

It was Mai. She'd slumped down on the floor in a faint. The others grew alert. Brown-san closed his Bible. Takigawa-san leapt from his seat.

Though Masako's concern for Mai's wellbeing was there, her immediate attention was diverted onto the far off feeling brushing her psyche.

Masako stood up and followed everybody out of the base.

~Ghost**xx**Hunt~

Masako was the last through the door.

"Mai," said Matsuzaki-san. She knelt down next to her and checked her pulse. She shook the girl's shoulder, then lightly tapped her cheek.

"Watch out," said Bou-san and he lifted Mai onto the bed. "Dearie me, looks like Mai's gotten into a pickle again."

Naru retrieved the temperature gauge. Masako noticed that the wardrobe was open and tutted in her head. Mai being nosey as usual, she thought.

She cringed behind her yukatta sleeves. The presence she'd felt far off came closer then retreated.

"What's the matter?" said John.

"I can sense something, but it's keeping away and I can't tell what it is."

The rustle of clothing and a quick intake of breath caused everybody to turn to the bed. Mai sat up, her eyes wide. The expression on her face could have been mistaken for fright by the gasp, but their was a frank show of surprise on her face. As if she'd had an epiphany. Her mouth formed a 'o'.

"Ohhh, that's right," she said breezily. She slipped off the bed and went to the wardrobe, ignoring everybody present.

Masako frowned. It was only a matter of time, she supposed, that after falling unconscious so many times that Mai would lose her marbles.

It just proved it, when Mai entered the wardrobe and disappeared. Naru was the first to move. He yanked open the wardrobe's door which had creaked closed and was greeted with an empty space.

No Mai at all.

"Mai?"

X


End file.
